Description

These Koeksister Custard Eclairs combine light, crispy choux pastry with a creamy vanilla custard filling, all coated in a spiced koeksister syrup. A fusion of French elegance and South African flavor, they’re perfect for special occasions or indulgent treats.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Choux Pastry:

1 cup (240ml) water
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour, sifted
4 large eggs, room temperature

For the Koeksister Syrup:

2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240ml) water
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
1 star anise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground ginger

For the Custard Filling:

2 cups (480ml) whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
6 large egg yolks
⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Garnish:

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Honey for drizzling

Instructions

Prepare the Koeksister Syrup: Combine sugar, water, cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, honey, and ginger, and stir well. Cool completely, then refrigerate.
Make the Custard Filling: Heat milk and vanilla bean in a saucepan until steaming. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until pale. Gradually whisk half the hot milk into the egg mixture, then return to the pan. Cook until thickened, about 2–3 minutes. Stir in butter, discard the vanilla pod, and refrigerate.
Prepare the Choux Pastry: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Boil water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir until smooth. Cook on low for 1–2 minutes, then transfer to a mixer. Add eggs one at a time until glossy.
Pipe and Bake the Eclairs: Pipe 4-inch strips onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Crack the oven door open and let them dry for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Assemble the Koeksister Custard Eclairs: Fill a piping bag with custard and pipe into the eclairs from both ends. Dip the tops in cold syrup, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, and drizzle with honey. For extra shine, double-dip in syrup.

Notes

Substitutions: Use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean. Double-dip eclairs for a glossier finish. Store assembled eclairs in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: South African-Inspired

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 eclair
Calories: 320
Sugar: 45g
Sodium: 150mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 120mg

Keywords: koeksister custard eclairs, fusion dessert recipe, easy choux pastry, south african dessert