makes
20
prep
20 minutes
cook
1:30 hour
difficulty
Mid
makes
20
serves
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
1:30
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 60 ml (¼ cup) milk
- 50 g unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- 100 g (⅔ cup) plain flour
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
Lemon curd
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 55 g (¼ cup) caster sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 150 ml thickened cream, whisked to stiff peaks
Candied lemon zest and syrup
- 1 lemon, zested into thin strips
- 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
Lemon icing
- 320 g (2 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp yellow food colouring
Cooling time 1 hour
Instructions
Place milk, butter and sugar in a saucepan with 60vml (¼ cup) water over medium-high heat. Season with salt and bring to the boil, stirring, until butter has melted. Remove from heat and add flour, then return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until mixture comes away from the sideof the pan. Remove from heat, immediately transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer and add eggs. Beat until mixture comes together and is smooth and combined. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5 cm nozzle and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make lemon curd, whisk butter, sugar, egg yolks and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring for 12 minutes or until thickened. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold. Fold in cream and refrigerate until needed.
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper and pipe out pastry into 20 x 12 cm lengths. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed. Remove from oven and pierce a small hole in the base of each to allow steam to escape. Set aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, to make candied lemon zest and syrup, place zest strips in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, drain and cover with cold water again. Repeat process 2 more times; this will help to remove bitterness. Place sugar and 125 ml (½ cup) water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zested strips and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
To make lemon icing, place icing sugar, lemon juice and food colouring in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Slice éclairs in half, being careful not to cut all the way through, and fill with lemon curd. Dip tops into icing then place on a wire rack to set. Scatter with candied lemon zest and syrup, to serve.
Photography by Brett Stevens. Food preparation by Phoebe Wood. Styling by Vivien Walsh.
As seen in Feast magazine, June 2014, Issue 32.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
