Lemon Meringue Eclairs
Are you looking for a delicious combo of eclair and lemon meringue pie? Let me tell you, this is the recipe for you!!
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Eclair Dough
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 6 ounces butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs
Meringue
- 3 large egg whites separate when they are cold, then bring to room temperature.
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 recipe lemon curd, chilled
Instructions
Eclairs
- Heat oven to 400 degrees while you are making the dough
- Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Add eggs to a small bowl and mix well.
- Add water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a medium-sized pan and heat until is just under a bowl and the butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in the flour.
- Once it is mixed in, return to medium heat and stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes. Pull from heat and add it to your stand mixer bowl or a bowl for mixing in. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- Then with the mixer turned on (stand or hand), add in the eggs. They will need to add in 5-6 increments, less than an egg each time. Make sure and mix completely between each addition. The dough should be stiff, but also glossy when you are done. I like to mix about 30 seconds after each addition.
- On your baking sheet pipe 3-4 inch eclairs that are about 1-inch wide. Make sure to give several inches between each eclairs as they will almost double.
- Place in the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes. The reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake another 20.
- Remove and all them to cool at room temperature. The insides will be hollow, so gently insert a chopstick or other round tool to break open the side.
- Next pipe in the lemon curd.
- Now, let's start on the meringue. Add the egg white to a clean bowl and whip for about 30 seconds. Then add in the cream of tartar and whip for another 30. Last, sprinkle in the sugar while you are mixing.
- Continue to mix at high speed until they form stiff peaks. Pipe your design on the eclairs. Then either torch or broil until they are golden brown. If you are broiling, make sure your oven is heated all the way, then add in the eclairs. You want them to broil quickly.
Notes
- Here are a few notes that will help you make the recipe perfectly the first time.
- The lemon curd can be made days in advance. It holds really well for at least 7 days in the fridge. To save time, make this before baking day.
- With the choux dough, make sure you have given it time to cool slightly before mixing in your eggs. You do not want scrambled eggs in your dough. Also, make sure you only add one egg at a time. Let it mix in, then add the next one.
- When piping, I like to use a large round tip or a large star tip. You can cut the edge off a ziplock bag, but it doesn't pipe as well. Plus, most tips are under $5 and it is a good investment to make.
- For the meringue, make sure that there is no fat on anything that you are using. Make sure the whisk or mixers are completely clean. You cannot get the stiff peaks you need for the meringue with fat in it.
- I like to separate my eggs while they are cold, it is easier. Then bring them to room temp for making the meringue.
- If you are making your meringue on a humid day, I like to add ½ teaspoon of cornstarch. The corn starch absorbs that extra moisture.