Lemon Raspberry Éclairs (Print)
Delicate choux pastry filled with tangy lemon cream and fresh raspberries, topped with light lemon glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Choux Pastry
01 - 1/2 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup whole milk
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
04 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 4 large eggs
→ Lemon Cream Filling
08 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 tbsp lemon zest
10 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
11 - 3 large eggs
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
13 - 1 cup heavy cream, cold
→ Assembly
14 - 1 cup fresh raspberries
→ Lemon Glaze
15 - 1 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
17 - 1 tsp lemon zest
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
03 - Remove from heat and stir in flour all at once. Return to heat and cook, stirring vigorously, until dough forms a ball and pulls away from pan sides, about 2 minutes.
04 - Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, until smooth and glossy.
05 - Spoon dough into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 4-inch strips onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
06 - Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350°F and bake 15 minutes longer until golden and crisp. Cool completely on a wire rack.
07 - Whisk lemon juice, zest, sugar, and eggs in a heatproof bowl. Set over simmering water and whisk constantly until thickened, about 8 minutes.
08 - Remove from heat and whisk in butter until smooth. Refrigerate until cold.
09 - Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into chilled lemon curd until combined.
10 - Slice cooled éclairs horizontally. Pipe or spoon lemon cream onto bottom halves. Add fresh raspberries and cover with top halves.
11 - Whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until smooth and pourable.
12 - Spread or drizzle glaze over éclair tops. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving to set filling.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lemon cream filling is impossibly light and airy, almost like eating a lemon scented cloud
- Fresh raspberries tucked inside add bursts of juice that cut through the richness beautifully
- These look like they came from a French patisserie but are completely doable at home
02 -
- Never open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking or your beautiful puffs will collapse into flat, disappointing disks
- The dough is ready when it forms a ball that cleans the sides of the pan and cooks for the full 2 minutes to dry properly
- Lemon curd must be completely cold before folding in whipped cream or the cream will melt and your filling will become runny
03 -
- Use a kitchen thermometer when making the lemon curd, it should reach 170°F to properly thicken without overcooking the eggs
- For perfectly uniform éclairs, use a ruler to mark 4 inch intervals on your parchment paper before piping