Paleo Éclair with Mocha Pastry Cream
Éclairs
The éclair originated during the nineteenth century in France. The original éclair is made from wheat flour, eggs, butter and water. These eclairs with mocha pastry cream are gluten and dairy free. They are paleo diet friendly. I made them from cassava flour, eggs, coconut oil, almond milk and water.
Choux Pastry
This pastry is used to make profiteroles, croquembouches and éclairs. Yorkshire Pudding is well-known too. In Spain and Latin America, churros are made of fried choux pastry. Try my delicious gluten and dairy free churros too.
This pastry is easy to make but it takes time. The ratio of the dry and wet ingredients is very important. It should not be too fluid or dry. If the recipe for choux pastry doesn’t always work, the quality of the flours may also be the reason. This is true for any dough and batter from wheat flour also. Many times, I have found that I need to adjust the quantities a bit because I have used ingredients from different brands. There were small changes, but they were important. Never add raw flour to the dough after adding eggs.
Never forget another golden rule! Do not add eggs to the hot flour mixture during preparation, otherwise you will get scrambled eggs. Be patient for waiting, the proper temperature is very important.
Choux pastry is airy with large air pocket inside. During baking the dough is rising. Instead of using baking powder or baking soda, its high moisture content creates steam during cooking to puff the pastry. Its golden and crispy outside. Éclairs a bit collapse, but smaller choux buns for profiteroles and cream puffs do not. Never remove the choux pastry from the oven too early and never open the oven in the first 20 minutes of the baking.
Choux pastry does not have to be sweet exclusively. I have a very delicious savory choux pastry recipe. Try Chicken and Mushroom Filled Savory Choux Pastry Crown also.
Gluten and Dairy Free Choux Pastry Recipes
Paleo Éclair with Mocha Pastry Cream
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
- 100 gram cassava flour
- 100 ml almond milk
- 90 ml water
- 90 ml coconut oil
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 tsp agave syrup
- 4 medium eggs
For the mocha cream
- 450 ml almond milk
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 6 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 1 tsp konjac flour optional if the cream is not thick enough
- 1 pinch salt
- 180 gram 85% pure chocolate broken
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
For the top
- 150 gram 85% pure chocolate melted
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Make the mocha cream. Heat the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add instant coffee granules and mix well. Remove it from the heat.
- Put egg yolks, agave syrup, tapioca flour, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl. Whisk with electric hand mixer until the mixture is thick and smooth.
- Pour about 200 ml hot milk in a thin stream very slowly into the egg mixture. Whisk constantly. Then add the eggs mixture back into the remaining hot milk in the pan.
- Heat the mocha cream base on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until is thickened. Stir constantly.
- When the mocha cream starts bubbling, decrease the heat to low and add broken chocolate. Whisk constantly, until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the stove.
- Add 1 tbsp coconut oil and whisk until completely mixed.
- Put the mocha cream into a bowl and cover with clingfilm. The clingfilm should fit perfectly over the surface of the cream. This prevents the formation of skin on top during cooling. When it's cooled to room temperature, put into the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Make the choux pastry. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Combine almond milk, water, coconut oil, agave syrup and salt in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil on medium low heat. Stir constantly. The mixture has to be homogeneous.
- Switch off the heat after the first bubbles and add cassava flour. Stir quickly, mix well, until the mixture leaves the side of the pan. Cook on low heat for a minute, stir constantly. Put the dough in a bowl and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Then mix the dough with electric hand mixer (or stand mixer) for 2 minutes. The dough is ready to mix with eggs, if it is not hot (we don’t want to make scrambled eggs). Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mix well between each addition. Beat for 2-3 minutes more, until the dough is homogeneous and glossy. You get a thick, very sticky dough.
- Draw 8 cm length lines to the parchment paper 6 cm apart. Spoon the dough into a piping bag. Push the dough out to the lines, the choux pastry lines have to be about 2.5 cm wide and 2.5 cm deep. Beat 1 egg and brush over the choux pastry.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until risen and golden brown. (Never open the oven during first 20 minutes of baking.) Transfer the shells to wire rack to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the mocha cream from the fridge and mix with a whisk again, until creamy. (Add 1 tsp konjac flour if the cream is not stiff enough for piping shapes. And let it rest for 10 minutes until the cream is thickened. Then whisk a bit again. This step is optional. It's a "rescue action” if the cream is too liquid.)
- Spoon the mocha cream into piping bag. Use a 1 cm round piping tip. Make a hole with the tip at the end of the éclair. Fill the mocha cream to the éclair through the hole.
- Melt chocolate with 1 tsp coconut oil above steam (Bain Marie). Spread the top of the éclairs with melted chocolate. Enjoy!
Excellent recipe except for AGAVE, not a good choice, It is fructose—just my humble opinion.
Dear Judith, thank you very much for your great feedback. Agave syrup can be replaced with honey or maple syrup.