We use cookies on this site, please read our Data Protection Policy

Restaurant Search
Member Login Join Club
icon-menu
icon-close

Lavender & Pistachio Éclairs from Steven Bennett, Chef Patron at The Pig & Whistle

Preview in new tab

Cook at Home

Who doesn’t love an éclair and there is no simpler or prettier recipe that that given to us by Steven Bennet, Chef Patron at the Pig & Whistle. He shared this delightful recipe for Afternoon Tea Week in 2019, but it doesn’t mean you have to wait until August to make your own! You’ll find it’s not as hard as you think to make a light choux pastry and then be able to customise a delicious flavouring and glaze.

Serves

Makes 14 éclairs

Prep Time

30 mins

Cooking Time

30 mins

Ingredients

For the éclairs

  • 120ml milk
  • 120g unsalted butter
  • half tsp salt
  • 240g plain flour
  • 4 eggs

For the creme patisserie

  • 125g sugar
  • 9 egg yolks
  • 6 tbsp cornflour
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 700ml milk

Suggested flavouring, decoration and finish

  • Lavender essence or crushed dried lavender kernels
  • chopped pistachios
  • edible gold
  • icing (colours of choice)

Method

To make the choux pastry

  • Preheat oven to 220°c.
  • Bring milk, butter, salt and 120ml water to the boil in a heavy based saucepan.
  • Add flour and stir until a dough forms.
  • Reduce the heat and continuously stir for 2 minutes with a wooden spoon until the mixture has slightly dried.
  • Place the dough into a large bowl and whisk in one egg at a time until smooth.
  • Using a piping bag and large ridged nozzle, pipe 4 inch lines of dough onto a lined backing sheet.
  • Turn down the oven to 150°c and place in the éclairs to cook for around 30 minutes, until golden brown. 
  • Leave to cool and crisp on a wire rack.

To make the crème patisserie

  • Whisk the sugar, yolks and cornflour in a medium saucepan until smooth.
  • Add the butter, vanilla and milk; bring to the boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring until custard is thick, for about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Pour through a mesh strainer into a bowl; cover the surface with plastic wrap.
  • Chill completely.

To decorate and fill

  • Divide the crème patisserie in two, and flavour one half with lavender essence or crushed dried lavender kernels, and the other half with finely chopped pistachios.
  • Place the flavoured crème patisserie into a piping bag and fill each of the eclairs, using the nozzle to make a hole in the pastry.
  • Spread icing over each éclair and decorate with lavender, pistachio and edible gold leaf.
  • Let the icing set before serving.

Healing Manor and The Pig & Whistle, Healing Manor Hotel,
Stallingborough Road, Healing, Grimsby North, East Lincolnshire, DN41 7QF

Cook at Home – Dine at Home – Dine at Restaurant

with the Luxury Restaurant Club

Not a member? Become a Luxury Restaurant Club Member to gain exclusive privileges at the UK’s most awarded restaurants, from £8 per month

Mobile app developers

Our Story

For the best mobile experience, download our mobile app

Discover why the Luxury Restaurant Guide is the gourmands app of choice. The app combines the convenience of a curated guide to all highest awarded restaurants, with an enhanced tier to access privileges and experiences.

Take dining to the next level and download our free app for iPhone and Android below.

CLOSE