Filled with a delightful and decadent, tea-flavored pastry cream, Keemun Éclairs make a delicious dessert for afternoon tea. Keemun Éclairs pictured with Matcha Macarons and Paris Tea Cakes.
Keemun Éclairs
Serves: 20
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 (10-ounce) bag dark chocolate melting wafers*
- Keemun Pastry Cream (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw 3 (2½-inch) lines 3 inches apart on parchment paper; turn parchment paper over.
- In a medium saucepan, bring milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil together over medium-high heat. Reduce to heat to low; add flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, approximately 2 minutes.
- Turn out dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let cool for 1 minute.
- With mixer at medium speed, beat in eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Beat for 2 minutes after adding last egg.
- Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip (Ateco #826). Pipe dough onto drawn lines on prepared baking sheets. Wet your fingertip to smooth down ends of éclairs.
- Immediately reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°, and bake 15 minutes more. Let cool completely on wire racks.
- Using a sharp knife, cut each éclair in half lengthwise.
- Melt dipping chocolate according to package directions. Dip top half of éclairs in melted chocolate. Let chocolate set.
- Place Keemun Pastry Cream in a piping bag fitted with a large open-star tip (Ateco #826). Pipe cream onto bottom half of éclairs. Top with chocolate-dipped tops, pressing down gently.
Notes
We used Ghirardelli Dark Melting Wafers.
Keemun Pastry Cream
Serves: 4 cups
Ingredients
- 5 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 teaspoons loose Keemun black tea leaves
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 (0.25-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch, and ¼ cup sugar.
- In a small saucepan, bring milk to a boil. Remove from heat, and add tea leaves. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain milk, and return to saucepan. Add vanilla bean and remaining ¼ cup sugar.
- Bring milk mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gradually pour milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour mixture back into saucepan. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens.
- Transfer pastry cream to a large heatproof bowl. Discard vanilla bean. Add butter, stirring until incorporated. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap, pressing wrap directly onto surface of pastry cream to keep it from forming a skin. Refrigerate until cold.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup cold water. Stir together, and let stand for 2 minutes. Microwave on low until granules dissolve, approximately 20 seconds. Add to chilled pastry cream, stirring well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk whipping cream until medium peaks form. Fold into cold pastry cream in 2 additions. Use immediately.
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