Nigel Slater’s recipes for lemon and passion fruit choux, and lamb steaks, marsala, apricots

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As summer winds down, the sweet scents of baking fill the air. A tray of golden-brown choux buns sits temptingly on the table, their crisp exteriors urging me to take a bite. I’ve already indulged in three, even though I know guests are arriving for tea soon. These treats are particularly crispy this time around, thanks to a high-heat baking technique that creates a lovely shell around a fluffy lemon curd cream, enhanced with a splash of passion fruit—because honestly, it pairs wonderfully with citrus.

When it comes to crafting choux buns, I typically go for a more rustic style rather than using a piping bag for perfectly uniform shapes. My first attempt with choux pastry was at a cooking school in Paris, where I bravely filled them with strawberry sorbet. It ended up being a glorious, messy creation, but nowadays, I favor simpler fillings, often with a unique twist.

This week, I stumbled upon a bounty of late-summer apricots, each about the size of a blackbird’s egg, bursting with warmth and flavor—far better than anything you’d find in a store. Mostly, I couldn’t resist eating them on my walk home, but I saved just enough to elevate a batch of lamb steaks, allowing their juices to mingle in perfect harmony. A splash of Marsala transformed the dish into a culinary dream.

Usually, I don’t bother measuring liquids like milk and eggs, but I was inspired to do so for choux pastry after discovering Nicola Lamb’s baking essentials in her book, “Sift.” The outcome? A light, crisp shell that far exceeds any I’ve made before. This recipe has become my reliable go-to for crafting perfectly crispy éclairs and cream buns, yielding 18 in just 90 minutes.

For the choux pastry, you’ll need:
– 60g milk
– 90g water
– 80g butter
– 3 tsp sugar
– 110g strong bread flour
– 170g eggs (about 3, beaten)

For the filling:
– 300ml double cream
– 200g lemon curd
– 3 passion fruits

Don’t forget to prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Here’s the process:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, butter, and sugar, bringing them to a boil. Add a pinch of salt, then stir in the flour to form a paste. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes in a mixing bowl.
2. Preheat your oven to 220C (gas mark 8). Beat the eggs in a jug and gradually mix them into the cooled paste using an electric mixer until the mixture becomes sticky and glossy, taking about 5 minutes.
3. Spoon generous mounds of batter (10-12g each) onto the baking sheet, ensuring to leave space for puffing. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 190C (gas mark 4-5) for an additional 10-12 minutes until golden and crisp. Allow them to cool on a rack.
4. In a chilled bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the lemon curd and passion fruit pulp, then slice open the buns and fill them with this luscious cream. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Now, let’s dive into a delightful lamb dish, beautifully paired with apricots and Marsala. This recipe serves two and can be prepared in just 30 minutes.

Here’s what you’ll need:
– 6 juniper berries
– 6 large sprigs of thyme
– 4 lamb steaks (approx. 180g each)
– 2 tbsp olive oil
– 250g apricots
– 150ml Marsala wine
– 150ml chicken or lamb stock
– 4 slices of open-textured bread like sourdough

To prepare:
1. Crush the juniper berries and chop the thyme, mixing them with salt and pepper. Rub this blend over the lamb steaks.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the lamb for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
3. Remove the lamb to keep warm, add halved apricots to the pan, and cook briefly before pouring in the Marsala. Let it bubble for two minutes before adding the stock for extra flavor.
4. Toast the bread, place two slices on each plate, and drizzle with the lamb juices. Top with a steak and apricots for a mouthwatering meal.

For more culinary inspiration, don’t forget to follow Nigel on Instagram @NigelSlater.