Passionfruit and white chocolate eclairs

This is a refreshing take on the classic chocolate eclair by the food dept., thanks to the successful marriage of passionfruit and white chocolate.

Passionfruit and white chocolate eclairs Credit: Petrina Tinslay

• makes

  20

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup water 
• 60 g butter
• ⅔ cup plain flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split
• 6 egg yolks
• ½ cup caster sugar
• ¼ cup plain flour
• 3 large passionfruit (pulp)
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tbsp strained passionfruit juice, approximately 3 large passionfruit
• 200 g white chocolate, roughly chopped and melted
• 1 tbsp light olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 230°C. To make the éclairs, place the water and butter in a saucepan over a low heat until the butter has melted. Increase to a high heat and bring to the boil, stirring continuously add the flour, beat rapidly for several minutes until the mixture forms a smooth ball.

Place the ball of dough into the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to cool. Once cold, add the eggs a little at a time and beat well between additions.

Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star pie and pipe 8 cm lengths. Sprinkle the éclairs and trays liberally with water and bake 7 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180°C and cook for a further 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the passionfruit custard, place the milk and vanilla pod in a medium saucepan over a low heat and bring to a simmer. Combine the egg yolks, sugar and flour in a medium bowl and whisk until light and creamy. Gradually drizzle in the hot milk while whisking the egg mixture. Once all of the milk has been added to the egg yolks return to the saucepan over a low heat and stir until the custard has thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl, cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and cool. Once cold, fold through the passionfruit pulp and place in a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm nozzle. Poke a hole in the end of each éclair and pipe in the passionfruit custard. Be careful to not overfill or the éclairs may split.

To ice the éclairs, make the passionfruit icing by combining the icing sugar and passionfruit juice until smooth, place into a piping bag with a fine nozzle and set aside. Combine the white chocolate and oil, beating until smooth. Dip the top of each éclair into the white chocolate and place on a tray. Drizzle the passionfruit icing, back and forth across the éclairs and then run a bamboo skewer up and down the length of the éclair to create a marbling effect. Allow to set and serve.

Photography by Petrina Tinslay, styling by David Morgan and art direction by Anne Marie Cummins.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.