Meyer Lemon Profiteroles and Lemon Basil Glaze

Spring has sprung and the best way to celebrate is with this zesty take on a profiterole! Meyer lemon pastry cream and a lemon basil glaze is a punchy yet refreshing way to enjoy this French pastry. This recipe makes about 18 profiteroles, but you may want to double the batch, because these will go quickly at your next spring gathering. I think Meyer lemons are the perfect balance of tart and sweetness and work so well in this creme patisserie. You can make the profiterole and pastry cream a few days ahead of time and assemble on the day of your event. It’s a great way to prepare ahead of time and give you plenty of time to enjoy the occasion without too much day of stress!

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MEYER LEMON PROFITEROLES AND LEMON BASIL GLAZE

PÂTE À CHOUX ingredients

• 1 cup milk

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

• Pinch of salt

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 4 extra large eggs

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

PÂTE À CHOUX STEPS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2. In a medium-large saucepan, heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat until boiling. When the butter has melted and everything is combined, add the flour all at once and beat together until the mixture comes together like a dough.

3. Put the dough in a large mixing bowl and add in the eggs one at a time. Using a whisk or hand mixer, beat the eggs into the dough until fully blended. The dough will split apart and come back together after each egg is added.

4. Spoon the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip.

5. Pipe mounds of dough 1-1/2 inches round and 1 inch high on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. This should make approximately 18 puffs. With your finger, dip it in water and press down on the top of the swirl to round out the shape and ensure that it doesn’t burn while baking.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat and place on a cooling rack until room temperature.

Pastry Cream ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk or heavy whipping cream

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 5 large egg yolks

• 1/3 cup cornstarch

• 4 Tbsp Meyer lemon juice

Pastry Cream STEPS

1. In a medium saucepan, add the milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until pale and light. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

3. Whisking constantly, slowly add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture. When the egg mixture has been tempered with the hot milk, pour it back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and holds whisk marks, about two minutes.

4. Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic, pressing directly on the surface, and chill for at least two hours until cold.

Glaze ingredients

• 2 cups powdered confectioners’ sugar

• 4 Tbsp fresh Meyer lemon juice

• 8-10 fresh basil leaves

• Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

Glaze and Assembly STEPS

1. In a small saucepan, heat lemon juice and basil leaves until the basil is wilted and the flavor is extracted. Remove from heat.

2. In a medium bowl add powdered sugar and lemon basil juice. Stir to combine and the glaze starts to form. You can add additional lemon juice to achieve desired consistency.

3. To assemble, fill each profiterole with the lemon pastry cream. Dip the top of the profiterole in the glaze, let it drip to remove any excess and then set upright on the cooling rack to let dry. Add the lemon zest on top of the profiteroles before the glaze has fully set.