Lemon Lavender and Coconut Key Lime Eclairs

I have been looking forward to this challenge for a few weeks. Now that I've completed it, I no longer feel so thrilled. The end result is tasty, although I got a little impatient with the decoration.

The showstopper challenge from Series 5, Episode 7 was 24 eclairs- of two different flavors. I chose to make 12 lemon and lavender eclairs and 12 coconut key lime eclairs. One of my good friends specifically requested that I do this bake as soon as he saw the words key lime. 

I wasted so many eggs trying to make my choux pastry. Making the choux pastry dough is not very difficult, but I kept messing up on the bake times. When choux pastry is properly baked, a nice hollow pocket will form, and the pastry will hold its shape for near-perpetuity. As I found out, the pastry will gradually deflate and the hollow pocket will collapse if the pastry is not baked long enough. I also found out- after finally making some decent choux one night- that the pastry will become soft and collapse if stored in an airtight container overnight.

Choux pastry is very unique- it is cooked in two different ways. First, all of the ingredients except the eggs are heated on the stove until they come together to form a ball and the flour is cooked. After this mixture is cooled slightly, the eggs are added. The dough is then piped into (in my case unmeasured) straight lines, which are then baked. One trick that helps the eclairs get a crisp exterior is to sprinkle water droplets on the baking sheet in between the pastries. The oven is initially set at a high heat, which is later reduced for a longer period. 

Some of my pastries were malformed, with a bowed out center that didn't leave room for a complete air pocket. My guess is that this malformation is due to air pockets in the dough when I put it into a piping bag. This is merely conjecture. In the future, I will make a few extra eclairs just in case this happens.

The filling for the eclair is traditionally a creme patissiere, a type of thick custard. It is delightfully creamy without being too rich or too sweet. To provide a more varied range of flavors without compromising texture and structural integrity, I mixed fruit curds into the cooked creme patissiere for each of the fillings.

The topping for a traditional eclair is a chocolate ganache. I eschewed this tradition. I made a key lime chocolate glaze to top the coconut key lime eclair, and a lemon royal icing for the lemon lavender eclairs. The royal icing provided a smooth, glossy finish that looks delightful. The white chocolate glaze was too thin and too transparent to look particularly attractive.

Tips for myself (and all of you) for next time? 1. It is better to overcook choux pastry than undercook it; it is very difficult to burn the pastry at low heat. 2. Actually measure and plan out where the lines of pastry will go. 3. Wait for the royal icing to be the right consistency before piping. 4. Change the key lime white chocolate icing to be a little thicker a consistency and color it green for visual appeal.

Next week's bake will be the Opera Cake Showstopper from Series 4, Episode 9.

Recipe- Lemon Lavender Eclairs

Ingredients

For the Choux:

1/2 C all purpose flour

1/2 C bread flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp lavender syrup

1/2 C unsalted butter

1 C water

rind of 1 lemon, finely grated

5 eggs

For the Creme Patissiere:

2 C whole milk

1/4 C plus 1 Tbsp lavender syrup

1/4 C plus 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 egg

3 egg yolks

1/4 C cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract

1/4 C lemon curd

For the Royal Icing:

1 egg white

1 1/4 C powdered sugar

juice of 1 lemon

2 drops yellow food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and measure and mark 14-16 lines 4" in length.
2. To make the choux pastry, mix  salt, 1 tsp lavender syrup, unsalted butter, water, and lemon rind over medium-high heat until simmering. Lower heat and mix in flours until well-incorporated. Continue cooking on low heat 2-3 minutes until flour is completely incorporated and heated. Transfer to a stand mixer.
3. Using the paddle attachment, mix the pastry mixture 1-2 minutes to cool. Gradually add in 5 large eggs. The consistency of the resulting dough should be about half way between a cake batter and a cookie batter.
4. Fill a pastry bag with the choux pastry dough. If using a disposable bag, cut a 1/2" aperture. If using a reusable pastry bag, use the existing hole to pipe. Pipe the pastry along the drawn lines. 
5. Place the pastry in the oven. Immediately decrease the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Without opening the oven door, decrease the temperature to 325°F (170°C) and bake for a further 30-35 minutes.
6. Remove baked pastry. Immediately use a toothpick to poke 2-3 holes in the bottom of each eclair to promote drying. Let cool uncovered.
7. To make creme patissiere, bring milk, vanilla extract, and lemon extract to a simmer over low-medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, lavender syrup, and granulated sugar together in a separate bowl. Once the milk comes to a simmer, pour 1/2 of it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Once the mixture is incorporated, pour it into the pot with the remaining milk. Bring back over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a gloopy boil. Bring creme patissiere off the heat and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
8. When the creme patissiere is cool, mix the lemon curd into it. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a narrow tip or filling attachment with the creme patissiere mixture. Fill the eclairs thoroughly by punching 3 holes in the bottom of each pastry.
9. To make the royal icing, first whip the egg white until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the powdered sugar while whisking, and then add in lemon juice and food coloring. Let icing rest until it is about the consistency of yogurt. Pipe the icing on top of the eclairs. Decorate as you would like and let the icing dry hard before serving.
10. Either serve immediately or freeze in batches for storage.

Recipe- Coconut Key Lime Eclairs

Ingredients

For the Choux:

1/2 C all purpose flour

1/2 C bread flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp granulated sugar

1/2 C unsalted butter

1 C water

rind of 6 key limes, finely grated

5 eggs

For the Creme Patissiere:

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 C plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 egg

3 egg yolks

1/4 C cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coconut extract

1/4 C key lime curd

For the Key Lime White Chocolate Glaze:

8 oz white chocolate, melted

juice of 5-6 key limes

2 drops green food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and measure and mark 14-16 lines 4" in length.
2. To make the choux pastry, mix  salt, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, water, and key lime rind over medium-high heat until simmering. Lower heat and mix in flours until well-incorporated. Continue cooking on low heat 2-3 minutes until flour is completely incorporated and heated. Transfer to a stand mixer.
3. Using the paddle attachment, mix the pastry mixture 1-2 minutes to cool. Gradually add in 5 large eggs. The consistency of the resulting dough should be about half way between a cake batter and a cookie batter.
4. Fill a pastry bag with the choux pastry dough. If using a disposable bag, cut a 1/2" aperture. If using a reusable pastry bag, use the existing hole to pipe. Pipe the pastry along the drawn lines. 
5. Place the pastry in the oven. Immediately decrease the temperature to 400°F (200°C) and bake for 15-20 minutes. Without opening the oven door, decrease the temperature to 325°F (170°C) and bake for a further 30-35 minutes.
6. Remove baked pastry. Immediately use a toothpick to poke 2-3 holes in the bottom of each eclair to promote drying. Let cool uncovered.
7. To make creme patissiere, bring milk, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and coconut extract to a simmer over low-medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk egg, egg yolks, cornstarch, and granulated sugar together in a separate bowl. Once the milk comes to a simmer, pour 1/2 of it into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Once the mixture is incorporated, pour it into the pot with the remaining milk. Bring back over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a gloopy boil. Bring creme patissiere off the heat and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
8. When the creme patissiere is cool, mix the key lime curd into it. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a narrow tip or filling attachment with the creme patissiere mixture. Fill the eclairs thoroughly by punching 3 holes in the bottom of each pastry.
9. To make the key lime white chocolate glaze, melt white chocolate in a bowl. Add in key lime juice, and mix. Pipe the glaze on top of the eclairs. Decorate as you would like and let the icing dry hard before serving.
10. Either serve immediately or freeze in batches for storage.