I’ll admit it: sometimes I’m partial. Like on my last trip to the Caribbean, I knew I’d be all about Saint Martin. From the minute we left, I was anticipating docking in Saint Martin. I mean, it’s part Dutch and part French (like me), which means you can have a Dutch beer in one hand, an éclair in the other, all while your toes are in the Caribbean. So, yah, it’s pretty freaking amazing.
But more than anything else, I was smitten of the idea of those pastries. So, when we stopped in the French capital of Marigot for a mid-morning snack, I beelined for the bakeries. Set among brightly colored houses and aside the lively produce market, the bakeries were side by side yet each had its own twist. Some, like La Sucriere, were so classic they could be right out of Amélie while others Caribbean-ifyied the flavors. I wanted to channel the tropical meets Euro vibes of those bakeries so I created this Marigot Mango Éclairs recipe with coconut cream and mango. The éclair is such a classic pastry and it comes across as super impressive when, in reality, all it requires is some patience and lots of eggs. So, yes, I’m partial to Saint Martin because anywhere that can give me a bit of France and a bit of Caribbean all at once? Well, it’s got me smitten.
Now, go stock up on all your cooking essentials, then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
Marigot Mango Éclairs Recipe
Ingredients
For The Mango Pastry Cream:
- 1 cup lite or regular coconut milk
- 4 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup puréed ripe mango from about 1 medium mango peeled and diced
For The pâte à choux:
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
For The Icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Food coloring for the icing
For The Garnish:
- Toasted coconut and cacao nibs for garnish
Instructions
- For the pastry cream: Combine the coconut milk, 2 tablespoons of the cane sugar, and the vanilla bean paste in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, then remove from heat. Meanwhile, whisk together the 3 egg yolks, cornstarch, and another 2 tablespoons of the cane sugar in a medium bowl until light and slightly thick. Gradually whisk half of the milk mixture, tablespoon by tablespoon, into egg yolk mixture. Pour the milk-yolk mixture back in the saucepan with the remaining coconutt milk and return to the stove over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, pass through a sieve then transfer to bowl. Stir in mango purée and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour. (The pastry cream can be made up to two days ahead. Store refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use.)
- For the pâte à choux: Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and trace 1 inch-by-3 inch rectangles, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart (you want about 15 rectangles per baking sheet). Combine butter, remaining 2 tablespoons of the cane sugar, and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add flour all at once and stir quickly with a wooden spoon until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook for 1 minute to dry out dough. Transfer dough to a bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Beat in remaining 4 whole eggs one at a time, beating until dough is smooth and glossy before adding the next egg.
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip (or a plastic storage bag with one corner snipped off), pipe dough onto the parchment paper tracings. Combine 1 egg with water and whisk until smooth then brush each pastry with the egg wash. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake until golden brown and dry to the touch, about 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly, at least 10 minutes.(The pastries can be baked up to two days ahead. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.)
- Fill The Eclairs: Spoon the mango pastry cream into a pastry bag, poke two small holes in the bottom of each pastry then pipe the pastry cream into each pastry.
- Make The Icing: Prepare icing by whisking together powdered sugar and just enough water until the mixture coats the back of a spoon and does not drip off. If desired, color the icing to your any color you'd like – I used 3 drops of red and 2 of yellow to get the color in the photo.
- Assembly: Dip one of filled pastries in the icing and place in the refrigerator until icing is just set, about 10 minutes.
