Description
This recipe guides you through making classic homemade éclairs featuring light and airy choux pastry shells filled with rich vanilla pastry cream and topped with a smooth chocolate glaze. A delicious French dessert perfect for special occasions or treating yourself.
Ingredients
Scale
Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Pastry Cream Filling
- 2 cups whole milk
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.75 cup heavy cream
Chocolate Glaze
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 0.25 cup heavy cream (for glaze)
Instructions
- Prepare the Choux Pastry: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, butter, salt, and sugar, bringing the mixture to a boil. Add the flour all at once, stirring vigorously until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the pan’s sides. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add eggs one at a time into the dough, mixing well after each addition until the dough becomes smooth and glossy. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, then pipe 4-inch long lines onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the Pastry Shells: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until puffed and golden brown. After baking, turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the shells dry inside for 10 minutes to prevent collapsing. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Pastry Cream: Heat the whole milk in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth. Gradually pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs, then return everything to the saucepan.
- Cook the Cream: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Cool the pastry cream completely.
- Whip and Fold Cream: Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks separately, then gently fold it into the cooled pastry cream to create a light and airy filling.
- Prepare the Chocolate Glaze: Heat 0.25 cup heavy cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chopped semisweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter. Let sit for a minute before stirring until the glaze is smooth and glossy.
- Assemble the Éclairs: Using a piping tip or a knife, fill the cooled éclair shells with the pastry cream. Dip the tops of the éclairs into the chocolate glaze and let the glaze set before serving.
Notes
- Éclair shells can be baked a day ahead and stored in an airtight container to maintain crispness.
- Fill and glaze the éclairs shortly before serving to preserve the best texture and freshness.
- Incorporate eggs slowly into the dough to ensure a smooth choux pastry consistency.
- Allow the chocolate glaze to cool slightly before dipping to avoid melting the cream filling.
