White Chocolate Corn Cream Eclairs with Strawberries and Pickled Jalapeños

Ingredients:

Pickled jalapenos

• 0.5 tbsp sugar
• 0.5 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp coarse salt
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced

Choux pastry

• 55 g unsalted butter
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• A pinch of coarse salt
• 0.5 cups premium flour
• 2-3 large eggs

Corn custard

• 4.5 cups + 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 0.5 tsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 large eggs
• 2 ears of corn, kernels removed

Glaze

• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1/4 tbsp. coconut oil

For serving

• 3 fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• Special equipment: 2 pastry bags, large round tip such as Ateco 808, small round tip

Preparation:

1. Pickled jalapenos:
   
   Combine sugar, vinegar, salt, and 0.5 cups of water in a container. Shake to combine, then add the jalapeños and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 230°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Choux pastry:
   
   Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 0.5 cups of water, butter, cinnamon, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Cook, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a ball and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
4. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until cool, 2-3 minutes. The dough needs to be cool enough to prevent the eggs from curdling in the next step.
5. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time. Don't add the second egg until the first is completely incorporated. Check the consistency of the batter; it should flow off the spoon in a smooth, elastic stream. If not, beat a third egg in a separate bowl, add half of it to the batter, and beat until fully incorporated. Check the consistency again and add the second half of the egg if necessary.
6. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe six 10cm-long éclairs onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 2.5cm apart. They will puff up in the oven! Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes, then let cool.
7. Corn custard:
   
   Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup heavy cream and cornstarch until smooth. Set the mixture aside.
8. In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups heavy cream, 1 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Reduce heat to low and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
9. Meanwhile, place the eggs and the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a large bowl and whisk vigorously until the mixture thickens and turns pale yellow. When the cream comes to a boil, remove from the heat. Whisk half the cream into the egg-sugar mixture, then immediately return the entire mixture to the pan with the hot cream. Whisk over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then gradually add the cornstarch paste.
10. Cook, stirring frequently, until the custard thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Place the bowl in an ice bath until the custard is completely cool, at least 10 minutes.
11. In a medium saucepan, combine the corn kernels, the remaining 1/4 cup cream, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender, add half of the custard, and blend until smooth. Fold the corn kernels into the custard, then transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Set the bag and custard aside.
12. Glaze:
    
    Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Place the white chocolate and coconut oil in the bowl. Stir until the chocolate melts.
13. For serving:
    
    Using a small knife, cut a small hole at the end of each éclair, then fill them with corn cream. Drizzle the cakes with melted white chocolate, then garnish with fresh strawberries, freeze-dried strawberries, and pickled jalapeños.