The only holiday appetizer you should make this year
Never made BLT eclairs? Your guests will thank you once you try this easy-to-prepare recipe
Toronto caterer Stefanie Tortorella shares her recipe for BLT eclairs, a party appetizer she describes as "fun, fresh and unexpected." To make the mini-eclairs, you’ll need: 1 cup flour 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter 4 eggs And for the filling, you’ll need: 20 vine-ripe cherry tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds 10 slices double-smoked bacon cut into 4 pieces each 2 cups arugula 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 tbsp cracked pepperAshley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Preheat oven to 450 F. Sift 1 cup flour and 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl and set aside. Place 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup butter and melt over medium heat until mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat to medium and add flour to melted butter all at once, stirring vigorously until mixture forms a ball that will not separate. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring after each addition until batter is smooth and glossy. Place dough into piping bag fitted with fluted tip.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Pipe onto a parchment-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. Bake at 450 F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 F and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until golden. Remove eclairs from oven and let cool.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Thinly slice cherry tomatoes. Tortorella only uses the uniform, centre cuts for her BLT eclairs and reserves the ends for a homemade batch of tomato sauce.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Add cracked pepper to mayonnaise and stir.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Slice eclairs lengthwise, but do not slice all the way through.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Spread eclair with mayo. Stack 1 slice of bacon, 2 slices of tomato and a few pieces of baby arugula inside each eclair.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail
Place finished BLT eclairs onto a serving platter. Tortorella suggests lining them up on a white rectangular dish for a presentation that stands out.Ashley Capp for The Globe and Mail