FOOD + ENTERTAINING
SPRING PASTEL ECLAIRS
Makes 25 eclairs
Filling
1 ½ cups milk
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out and reserved
5 egg yolks ½ cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, diced
Pastry
8 tablespoons( 1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
1 ½ teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup all-purpose flour( see box) 4 large eggs
Glazes
3 cups confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons thawed frozen orange juice concentrate mixed with 1 teaspoon water
1 ½ tablespoons cranberry-raspberry juice
2 tablespoons Concord grape juice concentrate mixed with 1 teaspoon water
For the filling:
Heat the milk, vanilla pod and scraped seeds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it boils, remove from the heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
Remove the vanilla pod from the milk mixture and discard. Carefully whisk ½ cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks until incorporated, then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is gently bubbling and thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Transfer the mixture to a glass or metal bowl and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
NOTE
When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess.( Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
SPRING 2018 71