Lemon Meringue Éclairs

How to make it

Amounts in the steps are for 12 servings.

1. 1

   Gelatinize the choux dough

   Put the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a pot; when the liquid bubbles up hard all the way to the center, turn off the heat, add the sifted medium-strength flour, and stir it quickly into a single mass. Turn the heat back to high and cook it, stirring evenly, until the dough is fully gelatinized.

2. 2

   Add the eggs

   Move the dough to a bowl, let it cool a little, then add the eggs a bit at a time, mixing well so no lumps form.

3. 3

   Pipe

   Load it into a piping bag fitted with an 869k tip and pipe lengths about 12cm long.

4. 4

   Bake

   Bake at 350°F (170°C) for 50 minutes.

5. 5

   Make the holes

   Let the baked éclairs cool completely, then make three small holes in the bottom to get them ready for filling.

6. 6

   Lemon curd

   Mix the eggs and sugar. Heat the lemon juice and lemon zest until hot, add them a little at a time while mixing, then cook the mixture over low heat, stirring, until it thickens. Take it off the heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin sheets and the limoncello, and strain it.

7. 7

   Finish the lemon cream

   Once it has cooled to 35 to 40°C, add the room-temperature unsalted butter and blend it with a hand blender. Spread it on a tray, cover it with plastic wrap, and firm it in the refrigerator until it is the right texture to pipe.

   · The butter has to blend into the lemon curd as a cream rather than melting into it — that is what keeps both the texture and the flavor soft.

8. 8

   Fill with cream

   Load it into a piping bag with a No. 800 round tip and fill the éclairs.

9. 9

   Italian meringue

   Heat 100g of sugar and 34g of water over medium-low heat; once the whole surface boils (about 108°C), start whipping the egg whites at medium speed. When the syrup reaches 118°C, take the hand mixer to high and pour the syrup in a fine thread while whipping.

10. 10

    Finish

    Keep whipping as it cools until the meringue stands stiff, pipe it onto the éclairs with a No. 104 tip, and finish by scorching it lightly with a torch.

No coming back

Things that actually went wrong over 20 years in a kitchen.

• Never open the door while they bake. The hot air inside escapes and they collapse.
• Always let it cool before mixing.

You can fix this

If it hasn't burned or stuck to the pan, it can still be fixed.

• If the cream is loose, whip it further. If it splits, warm it slightly and whip again. Sugar cannot be taken back out once it is in.