Divinely delicious recipe for éclairs filled with Baileys

Are you still looking for a delicious but, above all, easy dessert to round off the upcoming Christmas dinner? Then try these éclairs filled with Baileys Espresso Crème. Success guaranteed!

How to make éclairs filled with Baileys Espresso Crème

• Bring the butter, water and Baileys to the boil in a saucepan. Add the salt, sugar and flour. Mix quickly with a wooden spoon and remove from the heat. Once the mixture is smooth, return the pan to the heat and cook for about 3 minutes over low heat. A thin layer of dough will form on the bottom of the pan. Once the dough comes away from the bottom, transfer it to a bowl and leave it to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs to the dough and knead with the dough hooks of a hand mixer.
• Preheat the oven (convection: 175 °C). Fill a small roasting pan 2/3 full with water and slide it onto the lowest rack in the oven. Pipe the choux pastry onto two baking trays lined with baking paper, making strips approximately 3 to 5 cm long. Bake them one after the other for about 30 minutes on the middle rack until golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking, otherwise the choux pastry will collapse. Remove from the oven when done and leave to cool.
• For the crème, beat the cream and vanilla sugar until stiff using the whisk attachment of a hand mixer. In a small bowl, mix the Baileys and espresso powder until the powder has dissolved, then briefly beat into the cream. Pour the crème into a piping bag fitted with a fine star-shaped nozzle (approx. ø 4 mm).
• Cut the éclairs in half lengthwise. Pipe dots of cream onto the bottom halves, cover with the top halves and press gently.
• For the icing, mix the icing sugar, espresso powder and Baileys into a thick icing and spread it over the éclairs. Keep chilled until serving. Roughly chop the hazelnuts, sprinkle them over the éclairs and serve.

Tip: Would you like to make caramelised hazelnuts yourself? Caramelise 50 g of sugar and 1 tablespoon of honey in a pan, add the hazelnuts and stir. Leave the hazelnuts to cool on baking paper.

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