Mini Eclairs With Strawberries And Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven to 315 degrees F. Have a cooling rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet ready.
• Combine the strawberries and sugar in a large bowl and toss well. Set aside to macerate at room temperature.
• Separate a biscuit and stretch it slightly into an oblong shape. Starting on the short end, tuck and roll into a 5-inch-long log. Repeat with the remaining biscuits. Working in 2 batches, fry the biscuits until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per batch. Drain on the cooling rack.
• Drain the berries, reserving the liquid in the bowl (you should have about 3 tablespoons of liquid). Whisk the cream and vanilla in an electric mixer on medium-high speed until foamy. Add the reserved berry liquid and whip to soft peaks. Set aside.
• To assemble, split the fried biscuits into 2 pieces lengthwise with a serrated knife. Set the bottom halves on a platter and top the halves with the strawberries. Top with the whipped cream.
• Place the fudge sauce in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until the sauce is warm and becomes thin. Dip the tops of the other halves in the warm fudge sauce. The sauce should be loose enough to coat the tops easily; if it's not, reheat it and, if necessary, thin it out with a little canola or vegetable oi). Set the dipped tops over the whipped cream.

Steps:

• For the eclairs: Put the water, milk, butter, superfine sugar and salt into a saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil; this should take about a minute. As soon as it reaches a boil, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it forms a glossy ball of dough, about 2 minutes.
• Put the ball of dough into a large bowl and allow it to cool for 2 minutes. Next, slowly add one-quarter of the beaten egg mixture and mix together with a wooden spoon until the mixture is homogeneous. Keep adding the egg a little at a time until the dough reaches the dropping stage--when you lift the wooden spoon out of the bowl, the mixture should fall off the spoon in 3 seconds. You may not need all of the egg, so be careful to add it slowly as to not make the mixture too runny.
• Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a French star tip nozzle (see Cook's Note). Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper and pipe ten 5-inch lines of dough on it. Put the baking sheet in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 205 degrees C/400 degrees F.
• Just before you add the eclairs, throw 2 tablespoons of water in the bottom of the oven to create some steam. Immediately place the eclairs in the oven and lower the temperature to 160 degrees C/320 degrees F. Bake until the eclairs are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool.
• For the filling: Add the cream, superfine sugar and vanilla to a bowl and whisk until it reaches very soft peaks. Place the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a French star tip nozzle or other decorative tip.
• Assembly: Slice the cooled eclair shells in half lengthwise to make top and bottom shells. Dust the top shells lightly with powdered sugar. On the bottom shells, lay down some sliced strawberries, then pipe the whipped cream in a swirling motion on top. Place the top shells on the cream, then pipe more whipped cream on the tops in small dollops and decorate with more fresh strawberries.

Steps:

• Combine cream, vanilla seeds and pod, and sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Discard pod. Whisk cream mixture on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with foil. Grease foil; dust with matzo cake meal. Combine water, margarine, sugar and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Add 1 cup cake meal and beat with wooden spoon until mixture comes together into ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Using handheld electric mixer, add 4 eggs 1 at a time and beat until smooth after each. Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with large (1/2- to 5/8-inch) plain round tip. Pipe out 3-inch-long logs onto prepared sheets, spacing evenly. Brush tops with glaze, using brush to smooth shape where necessary.
• Bake pastries until firm and deep golden brown, reversing sheets halfway, about 35 minutes. Cut small slit in side of each pastry to allow steam to escape. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Freeze in heavy sealable plastic bags. Bake frozen pastries on baking sheet in 400°F. oven until hot and crisp, about 8 minutes; cool before using.)
• Combine sugar, potato starch and cake meal in heavy medium saucepan; whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in nondairy creamer, then yolks. Add margarine, vanilla bean and lemon peel. Whisk over medium heat until very thick and just beginning to bubble, about 8 minutes. Whisk in brandy. Transfer to small bowl; discard vanilla bean. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, stirring occasionally, about 6 hours.
• Puree 1 1/2 baskets strawberries and raspberries in blender or processor. Strain. Mix in sugar, refrigerate until chilled. (Pastry cream and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover, keep chilled.)
• Cut off top third of pastries. Press down any dough in center. Whisk pastry cream to smooth if necessary. Fill bottom of each pastry with about 1 tablespoon pastry cream. Overlap 3 strawberry halves on cream. Arrange top of pastry over strawberries. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; refrigerate.)
• Arrange 2 éclairs on each plate. Serve with berry sauce.