Golden Eggnog Ukrainian Éclairs (Sugar-Free, Holiday Edition)

What Makes This Special

Ukrainian éclairs are cherished for their ethereal choux and luscious fillings, often enjoyed with tea. This sugar-free, winter-inspired take features a rich eggnog pastry cream, gentle spices, and a golden, tempered chocolate glaze—making them both festive and diabetes-friendly. Their elegant look, portability, and crowd-pleasing flavor make them perfect for holiday tea times.

Ingredients

Éclairs consist of three main components: choux pastry (the shell), creamy filling, and a glossy glaze. Here’s what you’ll need and why:

For the Choux Pastry Shells

• Water (120 g): Hydrates dough and generates steam for rise.
• Unsalted butter (60 g): Adds richness and helps shells crisp.
• Salt (1 g): Enhances flavor.
• Allulose or erythritol (70 g): Sugar-free structure and light sweetness; allulose gives better browning.
• Plain flour (70 g): Forms the structure—sift for lump-free dough.
• Eggs (2 large): Essential for puff and elasticity.

For the Sugar-Free Eggnog Pastry Cream

• Eggnog (200 ml, sugar-free): Winter flavor; use homemade or high-quality store-bought without sugar.
• Milk (250 ml): Lightens and balances richness.
• Egg yolks (4 large): Classic custard texture.
• Cornstarch (35 g): Thickening power for a silky cream.
• Allulose or erythritol (25 g): Maintains sugar-free status.
• Vanilla paste (1 tsp): Flavor depth.
• Nutmeg (1/2 tsp): Essential for eggnog warmth.
• Unsalted butter (20 g): Adds gloss and mouthfeel.

For the Golden Glaze

• Sugar-free white chocolate (100 g): Smooth, sweet coating.
• Coconut oil (20 g): Thins glaze for dipping.
• Edible gold dust: Festive finish (optional but fun).

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Choux Pastry Shells

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Line a baking tray with parchment.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, salt, and allulose/erythritol. Bring to a rapid boil, stirring to dissolve.
3. Remove from heat. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth dough and pulls away from the sides (about 1 min).
4. Return to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to dry the dough—it should leave a thin film on the pan base.
5. Transfer dough to a clean bowl. Cool for 7 minutes (to 50–60°C).
6. Beat eggs lightly. Add in 2–3 additions, mixing well after each, until dough is glossy and forms a thick ribbon when lifted. (You may not need all the egg—stop if the dough is pipeable but not runny.)
7. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 12–14 mm French star tip. Pipe 12 x 10-cm lengths onto your tray, spaced well apart.
8. Bake 10 minutes at 200°C, then lower to 170°C and bake 20 further minutes, until golden, puffed, and crisp. Turn off oven, prop door open, and dry shells 10 minutes.

Step 2: Make the Sugar-Free Eggnog Pastry Cream

1. In a heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks, sweetener, and cornstarch until smooth and pale.
2. In a saucepan, combine milk and eggnog. Heat until steaming but not boiling. Stir in vanilla and nutmeg.
3. Gradually pour hot milk mixture over egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper and prevent curdling.
4. Return everything to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and just bubbling (about 2–3 min).
5. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted and cream is glossy.
6. Transfer to a bowl, press cling film directly onto surface, and chill until cold (about 1 hour).

Step 3: Fill the Éclairs

1. Once shells are fully cool, use a small round tip to poke 2–3 holes in the base or side of each shell.
2. Whisk chilled eggnog pastry cream until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip.
3. Pipe cream generously into each éclair until heavy and full.

Step 4: Prepare and Temper the Golden White Chocolate Glaze

1. Chop white chocolate finely and place 70 g in a heatproof bowl.
2. Melt gently over a double boiler or in 10-sec microwave bursts, stirring until it reaches 42°C.
3. Add the remaining 30 g white chocolate, stirring constantly to cool mix to 28°C. (This is tempering for snap and shine.)
4. Briefly rewarm to 30–31°C. Stir in coconut oil until smooth.
5. Dip éclair tops into the glaze, letting excess drip off. Place on a rack.
6. While glaze is unset, use a soft brush to dust with edible gold.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

• Arrange éclairs on a platter for tea time. Serve within a few hours for best texture.

Pro Tips

• Use allulose for browning: Erythritol doesn’t brown well; if possible, use allulose for a golden shell and better caramel-like flavor.
• Temper shells after baking: Leaving éclairs in the warm oven with door ajar helps avoid sogginess.
• Tempering is worth it: Proper glaze tempering keeps éclairs glossy and beautiful for hours.

Troubleshooting

Éclairs are flat or collapsed? The dough may have been too wet or underbaked. Ensure you dry the dough on the stove and bake until crisp and deep golden.

Cream is lumpy? It may have overheated or not been whisked enough. Pass through a sieve and whisk vigorously to smooth out lumps.

Variations

• Chocolate Eggnog: Add 30 g sugar-free dark chocolate to the pastry cream for a cocoa twist.
• Orange-Gold: Add a bit of orange zest to the glaze and finish with edible gold for a citrusy sparkle.
• Ukrainian Walnut: Fold 40 g finely chopped, toasted walnuts into the eggnog cream before filling for a classic Kyiv nod.

Storage

Filled éclairs are best eaten within 6 hours but can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Shells alone keep crisp for 2 days in an airtight tin. Glaze and fill close to serving time for maximum freshness and snap. For longer storage, freeze unfilled shells (up to 1 month), then thaw and crisp in a 170°C oven for 5 minutes before filling.

Embrace the season with these golden, sugar-free Ukrainian éclairs—perfect for sharing at any holiday tea!