Lemon Eclairs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400ºF and line two sheet trays with silicone mats.

For the choux pastry:
Combine water and cubed butter in a sauce pan and heat it over medium low heat on the stove. When it starts to boil, add flour and take it off heat while you stir really well. When it becomes a paste, put it back over heat and keep stirring for another couple of minutes. It will dry out a little more, cook off the flour and naturally become a ball of dough.

Let it cool for a few minutes, then whisk in eggs really well until dough is smooth and glossy. Sprinkle a little water on the trays to help steam the dough. Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a plain, 1/2 inch opening and pipe out 3-inch eclairs onto the trays, with 6 on each to give them lots of room to expand.

Bake the eclairs for 10 minutes, then reduce oven heat to 375ºF and bake for another 20 minutes. While they bake, make the filling and the icing.

For the filling, whip heavy cream with an electric hand mixer until stiff. Stir in lemon curd until it is smooth and set aside.

For the icing, combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and stir together. Add food coloring and keep stirring until you have a really stiff icing. Set aside.

The eclairs should be done by this point. Let them cool enough to handle, then cut them in half lengthwise and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Now it’s time for assembly! Scoop filling into a piping bag with a plain 1/2-inch opening and pipe a generous amount on each of the bottom halves of the eclairs. Close them with the top halves. Then scoop the icing into a disposable piping bag and snip the tip. Pipe a thick, generous line down the length of each eclair. Run a butter knife under very hot water and use it to evenly and gently spread the icing and make it shine. You make have to run it under the water after each eclair for it to work best. Then they’re done! Serve immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container until you are ready to serve.