-
1
make the pastry Preheat the oven to 400 and position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
-
2
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
3
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt and bring to a boil.
-
4
Remove from the heat, add the flour all at once and stir until incorporated.
-
5
Cook the choux pastry over moderately low heat, stirring vigorously, until the dough comes together in a cohesive mass, about 2 minutes.
-
6
make the pastry Scrape the dough into a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle.
-
7
At medium speed, beat in 1 egg until fully incorporated.
-
8
Beat in the remaining eggs, 1 at a time.
-
9
make the pastry Scrape half of the dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip.
-
10
Pipe 20 mounds, about 1 1/4 inches wide, onto 1 of the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
-
11
With lightly moistened fingers, press down any peaks.
-
12
Fill the pastry bag with the remaining dough and pipe twelve 5-by-3/4-inch eclairs onto the second sheet.
-
13
Bake the puffs and eclairs for about 25 minutes, until golden and risen, shifting the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
-
14
Let cool completely on the pans.
-
15
Using a sharp knife, poke holes in the sides of the pastries for filling.
-
16
meanwhile, make the filling In a medium saucepan, heat the milk just until small bubbles appear around the edge.
-
17
Add the vanilla bean, cover and let stand off the heat for 10 minutes.
-
18
Discard the vanilla bean.
-
19
meanwhile, make the filling In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the granulated sugar and cornstarch.
-
20
Gradually whisk in the warm milk.
-
21
Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking vigorously, until very thick, smooth and shiny, 3 to 4 minutes.
-
22
Scrape into a bowl and let cool slightly.
-
23
Whisk in the butter.
-
24
Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
-
25
meanwhile, make the filling In a medium bowl, beat the heavy cream until firm peaks form.
-
26
Fold the whipped cream into the pastry cream along with the pistachios.
-
27
Transfer half to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip.
-
28
Poke the tip into the eclairs and puffs and fill them with pastry cream.
-
29
Return them to the baking sheets.
-
30
make the glaze In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat all of the ingredients together until a thick, pourable glaze forms.
-
31
Dip the tops of the puffs and eclairs in the glaze and return to the sheets to set, about 10 minutes.
