Name: Lemon meringue éclairs
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Baking
Ingredients: 160 ml water; 50 g butter salted; 5 ml vanilla essence; 160 ml flour cake; 4 eggs large; 250 ml cream; 15 ml castor sugar; 45 ml lemon curd; 60 ml water; 125 ml castor sugar; 2 eggs large, whites only; ¼ tsp Cream of tartar

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Ingredients (12)

CHOUX PASTRY

160 ml	water
50 g	butter — salted
5 ml	vanilla — essence
160 ml	flour — cake
4	eggs — large

FILLING

250 ml	cream
15 ml	castor sugar
45 ml	lemon curd

ITALIAN MERINGUE

60 ml	water
125 ml	castor sugar
2	eggs — large, whites only
¼ tsp	Cream of tartar

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Method:

For the choux pastry, pre heat the oven to 200°C and line a large baking tray with a nonstick baking mat or baking paper.

Combine the water, butter and vanilla in a pot over medium heat.

Bring it up to a rolling boil and cook, 2 mins

Reduce the heat to low, whisk in the flour and cook for 2 mins.

Allow the mixture to cool in the pot for 5 mins.

Do not return the pot to the heat.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in 3 of the eggs, one by one until fully incorporated, smooth and glossy.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large star or round nozzle.

Pipe 8 x 12cm thick logs on to the prepared tray. Keep 3cm of space between each eclair.

Whisk the remaining egg and using a pastry brush, brush it evenly over each eclair.

Bake for 8 mins. Turn the heat down to 160°C and bake for another 10 mins.

Cut each eclair open, arrange it cut-side up on the tray and bake for 5-8 mins until crisp.

Cool on a cooling rack.

For the filling, combine the cream and caster sugar and whip until medium peaks form.

Whisk in the lemon curd and transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

For the Italian meringue, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Leave it to simmer until it reaches 115°C on a candy thermometer.

Whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form for 2 mins.

Keep the mixer running while slowly drizzling in the warm sugar syrup.

Whisk until stiff for 2-3 mins.

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.

To assemble, pipe dollops of the filling onto the base of each eclair.

Add the top half of each eclair to its base with the filling.

Pipe dollops of the glossy meringue on top of each eclair.

Lightly brûlée the meringue of each eclair with a blowtorch.

Serve immediately.

Tip: For a cheats version and crispier alternative, simply replace the Italian meringue with store bought meringue that is broken up into smaller chunks and scatter that over the filling before closing up the eclairs

ALSO READ:

How to make the perfect lemon meringue pie

image: iStock Lemon meringue pie is not unique to South Africa, but it is a much loved South African favourite found in every coffee shop from Albertinia to Zeerust and everywhere in between. And what’s not to love? Light, puffy meringue with a slightly crunchy top, sweet and tart curd filling and buttery biscuit base or pasty to hold it all together.