Spring Garden Yogurt Éclairs with Radish & Herb Glaze

What Makes This Special

Experience Austrian pastry artistry reimagined for spring: these éclairs feature a blind-baked pâte à choux shell for maximum crispness, a creamy yogurt mousse highlighting the tang and freshness of strained Greek yogurt, and a garden glaze made vibrant with radish greens, fresh herbs, and thin slices of peppery radish. The result is a harmonious balance of flavors and textures—light, bright, and utterly seasonal, perfect for a garden-inspired table.

Ingredients

This recipe leverages spring’s best: yogurt for tang and creaminess, radishes and their greens for color and flavor, and fresh herbs for aromatic lift. Blind-baking the shells ensures crisp perfection.

For the Pâte à Choux (Éclair Shells)

• 125 ml water
• 125 ml whole milk
• 110 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 g fine sea salt
• 5 g granulated sugar
• 140 g plain flour, sifted
• 240 g whole eggs (approx. 4 large eggs), room temperature

For the Yogurt Mousse Filling

• 200 g thick Greek yogurt (full fat), strained overnight
• 200 ml double cream, cold
• 60 g icing sugar, sifted
• 5 g powdered gelatin
• 25 ml cold water (for blooming gelatin)
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla paste)

For the Radish Green & Herb Glaze

• 100 g white chocolate, finely chopped
• 60 g fresh radish greens (well-washed, tender leaves only)
• 30 ml fresh lemon juice
• 10 g fresh dill, chopped
• 10 g fresh chives, snipped
• 100 g icing sugar
• 20 ml yogurt
• Green gel food coloring (optional)

For Finishing

• 80 g fresh radishes, sliced paper-thin (for garnish)
• Edible flowers and micro herbs (for garnish)

Instructions

Step 1: Strain the Yogurt (The Night Before)

Place yogurt in a fine-mesh sieve lined with muslin or paper towel, set over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight to thicken and remove excess whey. This step ensures a richer, less watery mousse.

Step 2: Prepare the Pâte à Choux (Éclair Dough)

In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, ensuring butter is fully melted. Remove from heat and quickly add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides (about 1 minute).

Return pan to low heat and cook the dough, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes to dry it out—this prevents soggy shells.

Transfer dough to a stand mixer bowl. Beat on low with paddle attachment for 2 minutes to cool slightly. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. The dough should be glossy and fall from the paddle in a thick ribbon.

Step 3: Pipe and Blind Bake the Éclair Shells

Preheat oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Fit a piping bag with a 1 cm round tip. Pipe 12 evenly spaced logs (12 cm long) onto a perforated baking tray lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment. For extra crispness, lightly dust with a little flour.

Blind Baking Technique: Place a second sheet of parchment directly over the piped éclairs, and lay a light baking tray on top—this weighs down the choux and ensures even rise and a flat base. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the top tray and parchment. Continue baking for 10-15 minutes more, until deeply golden and crisp.

Blind baking in this context ensures even caramelization and prevents over-expansion, giving éclairs a refined, professional look and crisp shell.

Cool shells completely on a rack. Pierce each shell underneath with a sharp knife to create a small hole for filling and allow steam to escape.

Step 4: Make the Yogurt Mousse Filling

Bloom gelatin: sprinkle over cold water in a small bowl, let stand 5 minutes. Gently melt by microwaving 10 seconds or over hot water until liquid.

Whip cold cream to soft peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk strained yogurt, icing sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in melted gelatin.

Fold whipped cream gently into yogurt mixture in 2 additions. Transfer mousse to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Chill at least 2 hours (ideally overnight) to firm up before piping.

Step 5: Prepare the Radish Green & Herb Glaze

Blanch radish greens in boiling water for 20 seconds, then shock in ice water to preserve color. Squeeze dry and blend with lemon juice to a fine puree. Strain through a fine sieve.

Melt white chocolate gently over a bain-marie. Stir in yogurt and radish green puree until smooth. Sift in icing sugar; mix well. Add chopped dill, chives, and a drop of green gel coloring if a more vivid glaze is desired. Let glaze cool to room temperature—it should be thick but pourable.

Step 6: Assemble and Glaze the Éclairs

Pipe yogurt mousse generously into each shell via the hole underneath (or by slicing éclairs horizontally, then sandwiching).

Dip the top of each filled éclair into the radish green glaze or use an offset spatula to smooth it on. While glaze is still tacky, garnish with radish slices, edible flowers, and micro herbs.

Chill filled éclairs 30 minutes before serving to set the glaze and allow flavors to meld.

Pro Tips

• Blind Baking Mastery: Use a perforated tray and silicone mat for maximum airflow and even browning.
• Yogurt Texture: Straining yogurt overnight is essential for a mousse that won’t weep or turn runny inside the éclair.
• Glaze Consistency: If glaze thickens too much before dipping, microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between, until just spreadable.

Troubleshooting

Shells collapsed or are soggy? Bake longer to ensure full dehydration; after piping, poke a tiny hole in each shell at the end of baking to let residual steam escape.

Yogurt mousse is too loose? Ensure gelatin is fully dissolved and yogurt has been thoroughly strained. Chill mousse longer for a firmer texture.

Glaze is dull or streaky? Blend radish greens thoroughly and sieve the puree for a smooth, vibrant finish. Add a touch of food coloring for brightness if needed.

Variations

• Herbaceous Spring: Swap dill and chives for basil and tarragon in the glaze for a different fresh herb note.
• Fruit & Yogurt: Add a layer of crushed fresh strawberries or rhubarb compote inside each éclair for extra spring flavor.
• Savory Brunch: Omit the icing sugar in the filling and glaze for a tangy, less sweet éclair suitable for brunch platters.

Storage

Éclairs are best enjoyed the day they are filled and glazed. Store assembled éclairs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Unfilled, baked shells can be kept at room temperature in a sealed container for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month and re-crisped in a hot oven before filling.