Strawberry meringues
Strawberry Mini Eclairs I made these mini eclairs when I wanted a light dessert with fruit and no added sugar in the dough or cream. The only sugar in the recipe comes from the three packets of vanilla sugar used for the whipped cream. The shells are easier to prepare than they seem and don’t need to be completely hollow inside. Mine turned out rather airy, just enough to be cut and filled with whipped cream and strawberries. In the recipe, I use the term "eclairs," although "eclairs" is also correct. The quantities below yield approximately 24 pieces, measuring about 2.5-3 cm in width and 7-8 cm in length after baking. QUICK INFO Servings: approximately 24 mini eclairs Preparation time: not specified exactly; the dough takes about 15-20 minutes to prepare, excluding cooling and filling time Baking time: 25 minutes Total time: depends on how long it takes to cool the shells before filling Difficulty: easy Recipe type: strawberry dessert, suitable for warm weather Measurement used: 250 ml cup INGREDIENTS For the shells 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup water 100 g butter, cut into pieces of about 3 cm 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup flour 2 whole eggs For the filling 300 g whipping cream 3 packets vanilla sugar For decoration and filling 300-400 g strawberries, cut into pieces of about 1 cm Optional Vanilla powdered sugar for dusting You can also use vanilla cream instead of or alongside the whipped cream. From my experience, 200 g of whipped cream was not enough for all the shells, so I supplemented with vanilla cream. In the ingredient list, I've noted 300 g, which is a more suitable quantity for about 24 mini eclairs. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Prepare the oven and the baking tray Preheat the oven to 200°C. If yours doesn’t brown the dishes quickly, you can go up to 220°C. Prepare a medium-sized baking tray and line it with parchment paper. There’s no need to grease the paper. If you have an old oven that burns very strongly at the bottom, place a thick tray under the tray with the mini eclairs. Alternatively, you can bake the tray on the top rack. 2. Heat the liquid ingredients In a small saucepan, combine the milk, water, salt, and cut-up butter. Place the pot over medium heat and stir with a whisk. If the pot is coated, use a whisk that won’t scratch the surface. Keep the saucepan on the heat until the butter is completely melted. The liquid should be hot, but it doesn’t need to reach a boil. 3. Incorporate the flour Remove the pot from the heat and add the flour. Mix immediately in circular motions until you achieve a smooth mixture. Normally, if the flour is incorporated while the liquid is hot, there shouldn’t be any lumps. 4. Cook the dough on the heat Put the saucepan back on medium heat and continue to stir for about 3.5-4 minutes. The dough will gradually pull away from the whisk. Occasionally, you can detach it or gently shake it to let it fall back into the pot. It’s normal for it to become compact and pull away from the sides of the saucepan. 5. Add the eggs Turn off the heat and leave the dough in the saucepan. Add one whole egg and mix with a mixer until smooth. Once the first egg is fully incorporated, add the second and mix again until the mixture is uniform. In the end, you should have a pleasant paste that is dense enough to hold its shape when placed on the tray. 6. Shape the shells Transfer the dough into a silicone piping bag without a tip or use a large round tip with an opening of about 1.5-2 cm. Form long strips of dough about 6-7 cm in length. They will expand while baking, so leave at least 1.5 cm between them. Try to keep the sizes as uniform as possible so that all the shells bake at the same time. 7. Bake the mini eclairs Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the shells for about 25 minutes. Depending on how your oven bakes, you may move the tray to the top rack after the first 10-15 minutes. Watch the shells rise and brown without burning. Ovens can vary significantly, especially at the bottom of the tray, so it’s useful to check their appearance periodically. 8. Cool the shells Remove the mini eclairs to a wire rack and let them cool. Don’t leave them in the tray unless they are not too browned at the bottom. Being small and light, they can continue to bake if left on the hot tray. The shells do not need to be completely hollow inside. For this recipe, they come out rather airy, and after cutting, they have enough space for whipped cream and strawberries. 9. Prepare the whipped cream and strawberries While the shells are cooling, prepare the whipped cream according to the instructions on the cream container or those of the product used. Add the three packets of vanilla sugar. Wash the strawberries, remove the stems, and cut them into pieces of about 1 cm. If you are also using vanilla cream, it should be prepared before filling and allowed to cool. 10. Fill the mini eclairs Cut each shell in half lengthwise. Use a piping bag with a wide tip of at least 2 cm and fill the bottom half of the shell with whipped cream. Place the strawberry pieces over the whipped cream, then put the top back on. If you are using vanilla cream for filling, you can distribute it along with the whipped cream or use it for the mini eclairs that don’t have enough whipped cream. 11. Decorate and serve Finally, you can dust the mini eclairs with vanilla powdered sugar. They are also good without this decoration, especially if you want to keep the dessert less sweet. WHY I MAKE THIS RECIPE OFTEN The shells come together quickly and don’t require complicated techniques. The dough is ready after a few minutes of stirring on the heat and adding the two eggs. Moreover, the dessert is lighter than many cakes with dense creams and layers. I also like that it can be easily adapted based on what I have on hand. If the whipped cream is not enough, I can supplement with vanilla cream or pudding. The strawberries add freshness, and the mini eclairs can be served individually without needing to cut a whole cake. TIPS For an oven that burns at the bottom, protect the tray with a thick tray underneath or bake the mini eclairs on the highest rack. Do not grease the parchment paper. The dough is placed directly on the paper. Keep space between the strips of dough, as they expand during baking. Do not open the oven too often during the first part of baking. After the first 10-15 minutes, you can move the tray higher if you notice that the bottom is browning too quickly. Remove the shells to a wire rack after baking. If left in the hot tray, they can continue to bake and brown too much at the bottom. Allow the shells to cool before cutting and filling them. The whipped cream will soften if placed on warm shells. SUBSTITUTIONS Instead of whipped cream, you can use vanilla cream or vanilla pudding. In the original recipe, I also used vanilla cream because 200 g of whipped cream was not enough for all the pieces. Strawberries can be replaced with other soft fruits that can be cut into pieces, but the recipe is presented with strawberries, and the indicated quantity is 300-400 g. VARIATIONS You can fill the shells only with whipped cream and strawberries or combine whipped cream and vanilla cream. If you prefer a richer filling, place the vanilla cream at the bottom and the whipped cream on top before adding the fruit. For a less sweet dessert, keep only the vanilla sugar in the whipped cream and do not add powdered sugar at the end. If you want to vary the appearance, you can cut the strips into slightly shorter pieces, but the final quantity and baking time may vary. SERVING IDEAS Serve the mini eclairs after they have been filled, while the shells are still pleasant and the fruit is fresh. They can be dusted with a little vanilla powdered sugar just before being served. They are suitable for a dessert platter or for a family meal, being easy to pick up individually. For a tidy appearance, cut the strawberry pieces as evenly as possible and do not overfill the shells. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. Why aren’t the shells completely hollow inside? For this recipe, the shells don’t necessarily come out very hollow, but rather airy. This is normal and does not prevent them from being filled. Once cut lengthwise, they have enough space for whipped cream and strawberries. 2. Can I use only 200 g of whipped cream? You can, but it may not be enough for all approximately 24 mini eclairs. In this case, supplement with vanilla cream or pudding. For a more generous filling, 300 g of whipped cream is more suitable. 3. At what temperature are the mini eclairs baked? The oven is preheated to 200°C. If it doesn’t brown the bottom quickly, it can be set to 220°C. After the first 10-15 minutes, the tray can be moved to the top rack, depending on how the oven bakes. 4. Can I prepare the shells in advance? The shells must be completely cooled before filling. For the best results, fill them as close to serving time as possible, as the whipped cream and strawberries will gradually soften the shells. NUTRITIONAL VALUES The values are estimated and calculated for one mini eclair from a total of approximately 24 pieces, using 300 g of whipped cream, 350 g of strawberries, and without the optional powdered sugar used for decoration. For 1 mini eclair: Calories: approximately 90-105 kcal Protein: approximately 2 g Carbohydrates: approximately 6-7 g Fat: approximately 7-8 g Values may vary depending on the fat percentage of the cream, the exact size of the shells, and the amount of cream used. If you add vanilla cream or more powdered sugar, the nutritional intake will be higher. STORAGE AND REHEATING Filled mini eclairs should be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container and are best consumed the same day or at the latest the next day. The strawberries and whipped cream soften the shells over time, so it is not recommended to fill them long in advance. The shells should not be reheated after filling. If they have been stored unfilled and you want to use them, allow them to come to room temperature before adding the whipped cream and fruit. Assembled mini eclairs are served cold and should not be reheated.
Ingredients
- Measure cup=250ml Ingredients for 24 mini eclairs
- dimensions after baking 2.5
- 3cm x 7
- 8cm SHELLS a quarter cup of milk a quarter cup of water 100g butter a quarter teaspoon of salt half a cup of flour 2 eggs WHIPPED CREAM (or vanilla cream) 300g whipped cream 3 packets of vanilla sugar
- 400g chopped DECOR optional powdered vanilla sugar for dusting
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