Cooking on a Shoelace

Pastry Cream:
3/4 cup sugar
5 tbl potato starch
1 tbl matzo cake meal
2 cup liquid nondairy creamer
5 lrg egg yolks
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted pareve margarine, diced
1 x 1 inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 tbl brandy (kosher for Passover)

Berry Sauce:
1 1/2 x 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled
1 cup frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup sugar
2 x 1-pint baskets strawberries, hulled, halved

Method:
A sophisticated dessert that comes together easily because the pastry, cream and sauce can be prepared ahead of time. Serve the leftover cream filling like a pudding, and top it with fresh fruit.

For Eclairs:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with foil. Grease foil; dust with matzo cake meal. Combine water, margarine, sugar and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Add 1 cup cake meal and beat with wooden spoon until mixture comes together into ball, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Using handheld electric mixer, add 4 eggs 1 at a time and beat until smooth after each. Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with large (1/2- to 5/8 inch) plain round tip. Pipe out 3 inch-long logs onto prepared sheets, spacing evenly. Brush tops with glaze, using brush to smooth shape where necessary.

Bake pastries until firm and deep golden brown, reversing sheets halfway, about 35 minutes. Cut small slit in side of each pastry to allow steam to escape. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Freeze in heavy sealable plastic bags. Bake frozen pastries on baking sheet in 400 F. oven until hot and crisp, about 8 minutes; cool before using.)

For Pastry Cream:
Combine sugar, potato starch and cake meal in heavy medium saucepan; whisk to blend. Gradually whisk in nondairy creamer, then yolks. Add margarine, vanilla bean and lemon peel. Whisk over medium heat until very thick and just beginning to bubble, about 8 minutes. Whisk in brandy. Transfer to small bowl; discard vanilla bean. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, stirring occasionally, about 6 hours.

For Sauce:
Puree 1 1/2 baskets strawberries and raspberries in blender or processor.

Strain. Mix in sugar, refrigerate until chilled. (Pastry cream and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover, keep chilled.)

Cut off top third of pastries. Press down any dough in center. Whisk pastry cream to smooth if necessary. Fill bottom of each pastry with about 1 tablespoon pastry cream. Overlap 3 strawberry halves on cream. Arrange top of pastry over strawberries. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead; refrigerate Arrange 2 eclairs on each plate. Serve with berry sauce.

Makes 24.

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Cooking on a Shoelace	[email protected]