watermelon and coconut eclairs plus win a trip for two to paris

I have always had a love affair with French pastries and éclairs are one of my favourites, at an attempt to cling onto summer a little longer I made these coconut cream and watermelon jelly eclairs and they tasted so fresh and summery everyone really enjoyed them. wouldn’t it be amazing to get to go to Paris and eat the real thing and also get to dine at a Michelin star restaurant?? well if that sounds like something you would like to do (I know I would) then all you have to do is share the hashtag #perfectparis2015 via twitter, facebook or linked in, how easy is that? if you want to find out more then go here.

the competition runs until the 30th October 2015.

I love making choux pastry this recipe is one I always use from the bouchon bakery cookbook, I do like the traditional custard filled eclairs but I have to admit I prefer it with whipped cream and curd or jam. I iced them with watermelon icing just make with juice from the melon and icing sugar. (my new favourite water icing.)

recipe

for the watermelon jam/jelly

1/4 of a watermelon

220g grams 1 cup sugar

3 tsp powdered gelatine

cut the pink flesh from the skin of the watermelon and place in a jelly bag and squeeze the juice out over a bowl or jug. add to a pan with the sugar and reduce for 5 to 10 minutes until it starts to thicken then stir in the gelatine and leave to cool and place in the fridge.

for the choux pasty

choux pastry recipe

120g 4.2 ounces butter

240g 1 cup water

175g 1 1/4 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground ginger

4 tbsp granulated sugar

50g 1 cup eggs (about 4)

preheat the oven to 200c

in a pan add the butter and water, and stir over a medium heat until the butter melts, pour in the flour, salt, sugar and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, keep stirring over the heat for 1 minute.

then tip dough in to stand mixer and turn it on for a minute to help release some steam and cool the dough down leave it to sit for 5 minutes,

whisk the eggs together in a bowl then with the mixer on add a 1/4 of the eggs and mix until it is combined then add the next 1/4, you my find that you wont need all the eggs i usually use 3 eggs then if it is still a bit thick i add another.

once the dough is thick and holds its shape with the mixer is lifted add it to a piping bag.

line two trays with baking paper and pipe lines of dough 6 inches long then wet your finger and smooth down the tips on each eclair.

turn the oven down to 180c 350f

bake for 40 minutes,

turn the trays around half way through then turn the oven down to 325f and bake for a further 20 minutes then turn it down again to 300f and bake for a final 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

let cool

for the coconut cream

1 can of coconut cream

300ml double cream

6 tbsp icing sugar

1 tsp coconut extract

whip the creams and sugar then add the extract, once thick put into a piping bag, slice the éclairs and spoon In some of the watermelon jelly then add the cream.

to make the icing add watermelon juice to a cup of icing sugar until thick (one or two tsp) I added a little colouring too

spread onto each éclair then add some flaked coconut.