Vanilla and mascarpone cream éclairs

Name: Vanilla and mascarpone cream éclairs
Ingredients: 200 ml milk; 100 g butter; 50 g sugar; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 130 g plain flour; 4 large eggs; 4 egg yolks; 150 g sugar; 2 sachets vanilla sugar; 2 tablespoons starch; 750 ml milk; 100 g butter; 250 g mascarpone; 150 g dark chocolate; 50 ml milk; 15 g sugar sprinkles

Dessert - Vanilla and mascarpone cream éclairs by Carolina L. - Recipia

Vanilla and mascarpone cream éclairs bring together golden pastry shells filled with chilled custard. The cream sits between the shells, and the dark chocolate forms a thin layer on top that cracks when you bite into it. I bake them a few hours before the meal and serve them cold with coffee. Preparation: 40 minutes. Cooking: 50 minutes. Resting: 155 minutes. Total time: 245 minutes. Servings: 12. Approximately 490 kcal and 9 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the shells

200 ml milk
100 g butter
50 g sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
130 g plain flour
4 large eggs

For the cream

4 egg yolks
150 g sugar
2 sachets vanilla sugar
2 tablespoons starch
750 ml milk
100 g butter
250 g mascarpone

For the glaze

150 g dark chocolate
50 ml milk
15 g sugar sprinkles

Preparation

1. Put 200 ml milk, 100 g butter, 50 g sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil in about 4 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and stir in 130 g flour. Mix until you have a smooth dough and leave it to cool for 20 minutes. 2. Beat in the 4 large eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Heat the oven to 200 °C. 3. Put the dough in a piping bag and pipe éclairs onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them. Bake for 8 minutes at 200 °C, then lower the temperature to 175 °C and bake for another 22 minutes, until golden. Do not open the oven door while they bake. Leave the shells to cool on a rack for 30 minutes. 4. Mix 4 egg yolks with 150 g sugar and 2 sachets of vanilla sugar. Add 2 tablespoons of starch and 150 ml of the 750 ml milk, then mix until smooth. 5. Heat the remaining 600 ml milk with 100 g butter in a saucepan for about 5 minutes, until it starts to boil. Pour in the egg yolk mixture, turn the heat down to low and stir continuously for 8 minutes, until it thickens like custard. Leave it to cool for 45 minutes. 6. Beat 250 g mascarpone into the cooled cream with a mixer. Refrigerate the cream for at least 30 minutes. 7. Cut the shells in half horizontally. Fill the bottom halves with the cold cream, then place the other halves on top and press gently. Refrigerate the éclairs for 30 minutes. 8. Break 150 g dark chocolate into pieces and melt it over low heat with 50 ml milk for about 3 minutes, stirring. Glaze the éclairs and sprinkle with 15 g sugar sprinkles.

Notes

Make the shells as close in length as possible; the small ones brown before the large ones. Mascarpone is easier to mix in if you take it out of the fridge 15 minutes beforehand. I don't rush cooling the custard: if it's still hot, the mascarpone softens too much in the cream. You can bake the shells a day ahead and keep them in a closed container. The filled éclairs keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. They're good with coffee, and also make a nice dessert after a simple meal. For a sweeter glaze, you can use 150 g milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate. They contain gluten, dairy and eggs.