Raspberry Almond Cream Eclairs

Picture slender golden éclairs, their shells crisp yet tender, filled with clouds of almond-kissed cream rippled with ruby raspberry, the glaze a soft blush that smells of warm vanilla and berries.

Imagine the snap of toasted almonds, the silk of diplomat cream, and the bright, tangy perfume of fresh fruit—comfort dressed in elegance.

These Raspberry Almond Cream Éclairs matter to me because they turn simple ingredients into a small celebration.

They’re the kind of dessert that says “you’re cared for,” perfect when you want something impressive without fuss: bring-a-plate gatherings, cozy Sunday suppers, or those busy weeknights when you need a make-ahead sweet that still feels special.

Once, a last-minute dinner invite had me short on time; I baked shells in the afternoon, filled and glazed before serving, and they stole the evening.

We’ll walk through each step so you can do the same—calmly, confidently, deliciously.

Ready? Let’s cook!

Why You’ll Love It

• Delivers bright raspberry tang with luscious almond cream richness
• Balances crisp shells with silky, cloud-light diplomat cream
• Impresses guests with elegant bakery-style finish at home
• Bakes reliably with clear, step-by-step guidance
• Freezes and recrisps well for make-ahead convenience

Ingredients

• 120 ml water — room temp; use filtered if possible (keeps flavors clean)
• 120 ml whole milk — room temp; full-fat for better puff
• 115 g unsalted butter, cubed — good European-style butter
• 6 g granulated sugar — fine grain dissolves evenly
• 3 g fine sea salt — balances sweetness
• 150 g all-purpose flour, sifted — low-protein works best for choux
• 4 large eggs, room temperature — weigh if possible for consistency
• 250 g fresh raspberries, divided — choose firm, bright berries
• 40 g granulated sugar (for raspberry sauce) — adjusts tartness
• 5 ml lemon juice — fresh squeezed for brightness
• 250 ml whole milk (for pastry cream) — full-fat for silkiness
• 60 g granulated sugar (for pastry cream) — whisk until no lumps
• 20 g cornstarch — sift to avoid clumps
• 2 large egg yolks — room temp for smoother tempering
• 15 g unsalted butter (for pastry cream) — adds shine and richness
• 1 tsp vanilla extract — pure extract for best flavor
• 80 g almond paste, grated — freeze briefly to grate easily
• 250 ml heavy cream, cold — 35%+ fat; chill bowl and whisk
• 20 g powdered sugar — stabilizes whipped cream lightly
• 40 g sliced almonds, toasted — toast to golden for aroma
• 120 g white chocolate, chopped (for glaze) — choose real cocoa butter
• 30 ml heavy cream (for glaze) — warms to smooth the glaze

Step-by-Step Method

Make the Choux Base

Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment.

Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a full simmer. Add flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the dough pulls from the sides and a thin film forms, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool 5 minutes.

Beat in the Eggs

Beat the dough briefly to release steam. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is absorbed. Aim for a smooth, glossy batter that slowly forms a V off the spatula. If too stiff, beat in a teaspoon of beaten egg or milk.

Fit a piping bag with a large round tip and fill with the choux.

Pipe the Éclairs

Pipe twelve 12 cm logs onto the prepared sheet, spacing well. Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip.

Lightly mist with water to encourage lift and prevent cracking. Work quickly to keep the batter from drying. Tap the tray gently to settle any air pockets.

Bake, Dry, and Cool

Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes. Reduce to 175°C and bake 15–18 minutes more until deeply golden and dry.

Turn off the oven. Vent each éclair with a skewer, leaving small holes underneath. Dry in the oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes.

Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Cook the Raspberry Sauce

Simmer 150 g raspberries with 40 g sugar and lemon juice for 3–4 minutes until juicy and slightly thick. Press through a fine sieve to remove seeds.

Chill until cool and syrupy. Aim for a consistency that coats a spoon so it won’t weep into the glaze. Reduce briefly if still thin.

Thicken the Pastry Cream

Heat milk until steaming. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, and yolks in a bowl until pale.

Slowly whisk in hot milk to temper. Return to the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thick bubbles appear.

Remove from heat. Whisk in butter and vanilla. Strain through a sieve. Cover surface with plastic and chill.

Blend in Almond Paste

Beat almond paste with 2 tablespoons of the chilled pastry cream until smooth and lump-free. Fold this mixture into the remaining pastry cream until evenly combined.

Keep the texture silky and cohesive. Avoid overworking to maintain a light, custardy body. Chill briefly while preparing whipped cream.

Fold into Whipped Cream

Whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar to soft peaks. Gently fold into the almond pastry cream to create an almond diplomat cream.

Ripple in 2–3 tablespoons raspberry sauce if desired, or leave plain. Reserve remaining sauce for filling and garnish. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small tip.

Fill the Éclairs

Poke two or three holes in the bottom of each cooled shell using a skewer or paring knife. Pipe in the raspberry almond cream until each éclair feels heavy but not bulging.

Distribute filling evenly to avoid weak spots. Wipe any excess. Chill briefly to help the cream set and stabilize.

Make the Pink Glaze

Warm white chocolate with 30 ml heavy cream gently until melted and smooth. Stir in a spoonful of raspberry sauce to tint pale pink.

Adjust color with tiny additions of sauce, keeping the glaze fluid and glossy. Avoid overheating, which can seize the chocolate. Let cool slightly to dipping consistency.

Dip and Garnish

Dip the tops of éclairs into the pink glaze. Let excess drip back into the bowl. Set on a rack.

Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds and add a few fresh raspberries. Use remaining raspberry sauce to dot or drizzle if desired. Chill for 30 minutes to set the glaze before serving.

Ingredient Swaps

• Dairy-free: use plant milk (oat/almond) for both dough and pastry cream; swap butter with vegan block butter; use coconut cream or dairy-free whipping cream for the diplomat and glaze.
• Gluten-free: replace all-purpose flour in pâte à choux with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend; add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if your blend lacks it.
• Nut-free: omit almond paste and sliced almonds; flavor cream with 1–2 tsp vanilla or 1/2 tsp almond-free extract (e.g., vanilla-bean paste); top with freeze-dried raspberries instead.
• Egg-free: pâte à choux is egg-dependent—use store-bought egg-free choux or make shells from pâte sucrée; for pastry cream, use 2 tbsp cornstarch extra and 2 tbsp vegan custard powder to thicken.
• Budget/availability: replace almond paste with 2–3 tbsp smooth almond butter plus 1–2 tbsp powdered sugar; use dark/milk chocolate or a simple powdered sugar–raspberry juice glaze instead of white chocolate.
• Fruit swaps: sub raspberries with strawberries, blackberries, or a mixed-berry blend; adjust sugar to taste if fruit is sweeter.
• Flavor twists: orange or lemon zest in cream; swap vanilla for almond extract (if not nut-free) or amaretto; top with toasted sunflower seeds or coconut flakes if avoiding nuts.

You Must Know

• Doneness • If your piped logs are spreading into pancakes, chill the tray 10–12 minutes before the oven; colder dough holds shape and yields taller walls, preventing soggy centers.
• Troubleshoot • When the dough won’t accept the last egg and looks greasy or runny, beat in 10–15 g extra sifted flour while still warm; rescues broken emulsion and restores the “slow V” fall from the spatula.
• Flavor Boost • For deeper almond notes, toast the grated almond paste 4–5 minutes at 160°C until lightly golden before incorporating; Maillard aromas carry through even after folding with cream.
• Make-Ahead • To keep shells crisp for a party, dry them in a 90–100°C oven for 20 minutes the day of serving, cool 15 minutes, then fill no more than 2–4 hours ahead; crispness lasts through plating.
• Scale • For 6 éclairs, use 75% of the filling amounts but only halve the choux; smaller batches over-dry faster—look for deep gold and hollow sound when tapped, about 15 + 10–12 minutes total in most home ovens.

Serving Tips

• Plate with a zigzag of raspberry sauce and a dusting of powdered sugar.
• Serve alongside espresso or almond tea to complement nutty cream notes.
• Add fresh raspberries and toasted almonds for texture and color contrast.
• Offer a small scoop of vanilla bean gelato beside each éclair.
• Finish with thin lemon zest curls to brighten the almond and berry flavors.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Unfilled shells keep airtight at room temperature 1 day or freeze up to 1 month.

Recrisp 5–8 minutes at 160°C.

Filled éclairs are best same day.

Refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Make pastry cream and raspberry sauce 2 days ahead.

Whip and fold cream just before filling for freshest texture.

Reheating

Reheat unfilled shells gently: oven 160°C for 5–8 minutes to recrisp.

Microwave briefly at 30–40% power, uncovered.

For filled éclairs, avoid microwave; warm slightly in a low oven or stovetop steamer.

Marie-Antoinette’s Pastry Craze

Though politics swirled outside Versailles, Marie-Antoinette turned pastry into theater—delicate choux towers, jeweled fruits, and perfumed creams parading through her Trianon like couture you could taste.

I imagine following a footman’s silver tray, catching a waft of orange blossom and toasted almonds, the air sweet as silk powder.

She adored spectacle: piped swirls, lacquered glazes, and berries set like rubies in snow. That spirit fuels my éclairs. I chase crisp shells, perfumed almond diplomat cream, and a blush-pink raspberry glaze that would’ve made her smile.

You’ll feel it too—the snap, the cool cream, the tart whisper of fruit. It’s indulgence with intention, pleasure engineered. Bake like a courtier: precise, playful, and unafraid of delicious excess.

Final Thoughts

Ready to bake? Give these Raspberry Almond Cream Éclairs a try, and feel free to tweak the filling—add more raspberry ripple, swap in pistachios, or play with the glaze to make them your own.

Enjoy every crisp, creamy bite!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make These Gluten-Free Without Compromising the Choux Structure?

Yes—you can. I swap the flour for a fine 1:1 gluten‑free blend with xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon extra egg white, and dry the shells thoroughly. They puff beautifully—golden, hollow, and crisp, ready to fill.

What Piping Technique Prevents Cracks Along the Éclair Tops?

Use steady, even pressure and pipe one smooth, continuous log with a large round tip. I keep the bag at 45°, don’t overlap ridges, smooth peaks with a damp finger, and lightly mist—hello glossy, crack-free tops.

How Do Altitude Changes Affect Baking Time and Puff?

Altitude makes choux dry faster and puff less; I bake hotter initially, extend drying, and add moisture. I’ll increase oven spring with a brief steam, use extra egg, and watch color—deeply golden signals enough structure.

Which White Chocolate Brands Temper Best for a Glossy Glaze?

Valrhona Ivoire, Callebaut W2, and Cacao Barry Zéphyr temper most reliably, giving glassy snap and silky shine. I use precise seeding, 29–30°C working temp, and ultra-dry tools—your glaze pours like satin and sets luminous.

Can I Stabilize the Diplomat Cream Without Gelatin?

Yes—you can. I thicken the pastry cream slightly, chill it cold, then fold in softly whipped cream with a touch of mascarpone or cream cheese. It holds beautifully, tastes lush, and pipes like a dream.