🍫 Classic Chocolate Éclairs
🧁 Makes: About 12 éclairs
⏱ Time: ~1 hour active | Chill: 1–2 hours
✨ 3 Main Parts:
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Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)
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Vanilla Pastry Cream Filling
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Chocolate Glaze
🥄 Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry:
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½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
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1 cup water
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½ tsp salt
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1 tbsp sugar (optional)
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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4 large eggs
For the Pastry Cream Filling:
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2 cups whole milk
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½ cup sugar
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¼ cup cornstarch
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4 large egg yolks
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2 tbsp unsalted butter
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1½ tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
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Pinch of salt
For the Chocolate Glaze:
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½ cup heavy cream
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4 oz semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped
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1 tbsp corn syrup or butter (for shine – optional)
🔪 Instructions
🍩 1. Make the Choux Pastry
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a saucepan, combine butter, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil.
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Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until it forms a ball and pulls away from the sides (~1–2 minutes).
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Transfer dough to a mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
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Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each (use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or strong arm). Batter should be smooth, thick, and pipeable.
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Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round or French tip. Pipe 4–5 inch strips on the baking sheet.
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Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 350°F and bake another 15–20 minutes until golden and puffed.
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Turn off oven, crack door slightly, and let cool 10 minutes. Then transfer to wire rack.
🍮 2. Make the Pastry Cream
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In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, salt, and cornstarch until smooth.
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In a saucepan, heat milk until just simmering.
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Slowly pour hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly (to temper).
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Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until thick (~3–5 minutes).
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Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
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Transfer to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and chill until cold (about 1–2 hours).
🍫 3. Make the Chocolate Glaze
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Heat cream until simmering (not boiling).
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Pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
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Stir in butter or corn syrup if using. Let cool slightly to thicken.
🧁 4. Assemble the Éclairs
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Use a piping tip or knife to poke a hole in each éclair (bottom or side).
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Transfer pastry cream to piping bag and fill éclairs until slightly heavy and full.
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Dip tops in chocolate glaze or spoon over.
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Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving for best texture.
✅ Tips:
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Choux dough can be made in advance and frozen piped (bake from frozen).
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Pastry cream lasts 2–3 days refrigerated.
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Don’t underbake the shells—they need to be dry inside for best texture.
Would you like a version filled with whipped cream, flavored pastry cream (like coffee or chocolate), or topped with ganache instead of glaze?