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Matcha and white chocolate éclairs

Éclairs filled with a Matcha pastry cream and topped with white chocolate
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Ingredients
  

For the matcha pastry cream

  • 4 teaspoons matcha powder
  • 240 ml or 1 cup milk
  • 50 grams or 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 42 grams or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the éclair shells

  • 120 ml or 1/2 cup water
  • 56 grams or 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 62 grams or 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs

For the topping

  • 100 grams white chocolate

Instructions
 

To make the matcha pastry cream

  • Whisk together the matcha, sugar , corn flour and salt in a medium saucepan (thick bottomed).
  • In another glass or bowl , whisk together the egg yolks and the milk until smooth.
  • Pour the egg yolk- milk mixture into the matcha-sugar- corn flour mixture in the saucepan while whisking continuously
  • Add the butter and heat on medium flame. Whisk continuously.
  • First the butter will melt and the mixture will come to a boil.
  • Lower the flame and cook for a couple of minutes more while stirring as the custard thickens.It should coat the back of a spoon. When you run a finger on the back of a spoon dipped in the cream, there should be a clear line.
  • Take off heat and add the vanilla extract.
  • Pass through a sieve into a clean bowl.
  • Cover the pastry cream with cling wrap , such that the wrap is touching the surface of the cream . This prevents a film from forming. Chill for atleast two hours .

To make the eclair shells

  • Preheat your oven to 200 C/ 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or grease well.
  • In a medium saucepan, heat the water and the butter.
  • When the butter melts and it boils, stir in the sugar and salt.
  • Add the flour and continue heating while stirring until a film appears on the bottom of the pan. This will take 2 to 3 minutes .
  • Let cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the eggs one by one , mixing really well after each.
  • The dough should be thick and hold a peak.
  • Fill into a piping bag with a wide round tip or cut 1/4 inch off the tip of the bag.
  • Pipe lines of around 3 to 4 cms about 4 cms apart.
  • Bake at 400 F or 200 c for 20 minutes , and then at 180 C or 350 F for 15- 20 minutes until they are golden brown.
  • Remove from oven, poke a hole into each. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the topping

  • Chop the white chocolate as finely and uniformly as possible.
  • In the microwave or using a double boiler, melt until smooth.

To assemble

  • Fill the pastry cream in a piping bag with a small tip. Poke a hole in one or both ends of the shell. Insert the tip and fill until eclair is heavy or you cant fill anymore. You can also slice the shell in half and pipe the pastry cream.
  • Dip the tops of the filled eclairs in the melted chocolate , let excess flow off and let dry.

Notes

These are best served the same day but can be refrigerated for a couple of days. Get to room temperature before serving.
The recipe makes 18- 20 eclairs
To keep the outer covering as crisp as possible 1)bake as directed at a high temperature and then at low temperature ,2) pierce a small hole in the shells as soon as they are out of the oven - this releases the trapped steam , 3) store in an airtight container as soon as they cool down after baking. 4) make them the day you want to serve and fill as close to serving as possible.
The pastry cream can be made upto a week in advance and chilled.
My measuring cup is 240 ml.