Cappuccino éclairs with coffee pastry cream, glacé icing and caramel

Makes Approx. 12 Cakes, Bread and Pastries

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Method

To make the choux pastry, preheat the oven to 190C/ 170C F/Gas 5.

Sift the flour on to a sheet of baking paper. Put 210ml cold water in a medium saucepan, add the butter and briefly bring to a bubbling boil (it’s important not to let the water evaporate). Remove from the heat and, when the bubbles subside, add the flour, straight off the paper, all at once, and stir vigorously until the mixture is very smooth.

Cool the mixture for 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, beat in some of the egg until smooth before adding more. The mixture needs to be firm and keeping its shape before adding more egg, so you may not need all the egg if it gets too loose. Beat the mixture until smooth and glossy.

Dampen 2 baking sheets with cold water (the steam created helps the éclairs rise). Fill a piping bag fitted with a 2cm plain nozzle and pipe approx. 7cm lengths side by side on to the baking sheets.

Bake for 15 minutes, then increase the heat to 200C/ 180C F/Gas 6 and bake for a further 15-18 minutes until crisp and golden and they loosen easily off the trays. Prick the sides with a skewer to release the steam, then put back in the oven for a few minutes.

Remove and leave to cool on a wire rack. When cold, store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

To make the pastry cream, put the yolks and half the sugar in a bowl and stir until pale and smooth. Add the flours and 1tbsp milk and stir to combine. Dissolve the coffee granules in 1tbsp hot water, add to the mixture and stir to make a smooth paste.

Pour the rest of the milk and the cream with the remaining sugar into a pan and place over a medium heat. When it’s hot but not boiling, pour in the egg/ flour mixture and stir over a gentle heat until it is thick and smooth. If lumps form, remove from the heat and add a little more cream or a splash of milk and keep stirring. Pour into a bowl, cover with a plate and cool until ready to use.

To make the glacé icing, dissolve the coffee granules in 3tbsp hot water in a bowl and add the liquid glucose, mixing well. Add the icing sugar, a little at a time, stirring, until smooth. Add a little hot water to loosen if need be. Take care as it should not drip down the sides of the éclairs but hold its shape on top. Cover and set aside.

When ready to fill, slit each éclair along one side. Fit a piping bag with a plain 1.5cm nozzle and fill it with pastry cream. Pipe some into each éclair, then spoon the glacé icing over the top.

To make the caramel, put the sugar in a pan with 2tbsp hot water and dissolve over a gentle heat. Increase the heat to a gentle simmer and, when the mixture has turned a golden caramel, take off the heat and add the butter, the coffee water, double cream and 1tsp coffee essence. Put back on a gentle heat and stir until smooth. If it is a little pale, add another 1tsp coffee essence.

Put the éclairs on a serving dish and zig-zag the caramel over the tops to decorate.

This recipe is from the April 2022 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.