Eclairs with blackcurrant cream and chocolate ganache on Delicious Blog

      Preparation recipe:

      Source: https://www.vkusnyblog.com/recipe/eklery-so-smorodinovym-kremom-i-shokoladnym-ganashem/

      Ingredient notes:

      Berries. Black currants can be used fresh or frozen. If frozen, it's better to defrost them beforehand without draining the juice.

      Flavor variations. You can make these éclairs with raspberries or cherries—they also pair well with chocolate. Replace currants with cherries on a 1:1 basis, and for raspberries, use slightly more by weight to account for mashing out seeds, which have more than currants.

      Amaretto. Almond liqueur used for additional flavoring of the cream. There’s no substitute, so if you don't have it or prefer to avoid alcohol, simply omit amaretto.

      Eggs. The amount for the dough is given in grams, which is important for achieving the right consistency. For reference: 1 egg (size C-1) is about 55 g by weight. Whether adding eggs by weight or units, add the last third of the egg mixture gradually to prevent overdoing it.

      Flour. This recipe uses regular high-quality flour with about 10 g of gluten per 100 g. Using a stronger flour with about 12% gluten will produce more even éclairs. Keep in mind that stronger flour may require a few more eggs to achieve the desired dough consistency.

      Butter. For choux pastry, use butter with 80% fat content or higher.

      Starch. Cornstarch is recommended for the cream—it softens the thickening, avoids off-flavors, and yields a more appealing color than potato starch. If unavailable and you plan to use potato starch, remember to use half the amount specified for cornstarch.

      Sugar. Use regular white sugar.

      Cream cheese. Any full-bodied Philadelphia-style cream cheese is suitable. Too soft will make the cream too runny, which we want to avoid.

      Chocolate. The recipe calls for dark chocolate with 60-65% cocoa content. I don’t recommend using milk chocolate here, as it will be too sweet, and it requires different ganache proportions. Higher cocoa content chocolate can be used up to 72%. It can be drops or bars—no difference.

      Cream. For ganache, use exclusively high-fat cream—30% or higher.

      Preparation:

      Make the cream.

      Puree the berries in a blender and strain through a sieve.

      You should have about 150 g of puree.

      Combine egg yolks with sugar and starch.

      Whisk until pale and fluffy on high speed.

      Place the berry puree in a small saucepan or pot, bring to a boil. Then, while stirring constantly with a mixer, gradually add it to the egg mixture.

      Transfer the mixture back into the saucepan, add amaretto, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring vigorously with a whisk until it boils and thickens.

      Remove from heat.

      Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap in contact, and completely cool—first at room temperature, then in the fridge.

      Prepare the dough.

      Pour water, milk, add salt, sugar, and chopped butter into a container. Heat until the butter melts.

      Remove from heat, add flour, and stir.

      Return to heat, cook, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a ball and begins to form a crust at the bottom, about 2 minutes.

      Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

      Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated. Keep an eye on the consistency—the dough should not become too runny. Egg quantities may vary based on their size; it's best to beat the last egg with a fork and add it in parts. The dough should be smooth and shiny.

      Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and pipe onto a parchment-lined or silicone baking sheet. I use a 12 mm diameter French star tip. I prefer baking éclairs on a perforated mat.

      Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C, then immediately reduce to 170°C, and bake until done, about 40 minutes.

      Remove éclairs from the oven and tray, make two holes in the bottoms of each to release steam. These holes will be used for filling later. Completely cool.

      Assemble the cream.

      Add softened cream cheese to the cooled choux base.

      Whip with a mixer on low speed until smooth.

      Transfer the cream to a pastry bag, cut the tip.

      Fill the éclairs through the holes, then refrigerate for a couple of hours.

      Make the ganache.

      Chop the chocolate finely and place in a bowl. If using drops, use them as is.

      Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate.

      Let sit for a couple of minutes, then stir with a whisk until smooth.

      Dip the tops of cooled éclairs into the ganache and transfer to a tray or large flat dish. If desired, dust with cocoa powder. Refrigerate until the ganache sets, about 15-20 minutes.

      Serve.

      Enjoy your tea!

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