Description
This classic Chocolate Éclair recipe features light and airy pâte à choux pastry shells filled with rich, creamy vanilla pastry cream and topped with a luscious chocolate glaze. Perfect for a decadent dessert, these homemade éclairs combine delicate textures and smooth flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pâte à Choux:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 8 tbsp butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Pastry Cream:
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (and 2 tbsp additional for mixing)
- 6 tbsp sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 tbsp butter
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (plus more if needed)
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This ensures the éclairs won’t stick and the oven is ready for baking the pastry shells.
- Make the Pâte à Choux Dough: In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine butter, sugar, water, and salt, stirring frequently. Bring to a low boil, then remove from heat and add flour. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a thick paste with no flour pockets. Return to medium heat and cook for 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly to avoid burning and to form a smooth dough.
- Incorporate Eggs: Transfer the hot paste to a stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until slightly cooled, then add eggs one at a time, allowing full incorporation between additions. Continue beating for 2 more minutes until the dough is shiny and sticks to the bowl’s sides. Transfer dough to a large piping bag fitted with a ½ inch diameter tip. Pipe 4 to 5-inch long logs spaced 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush each log with beaten egg wash for a golden finish.
- Bake the Pastry Shells: Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then open the oven, rotate the pan, and reduce the heat to 350°F. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Finally, reduce the heat to 300°F and bake 20 more minutes to dry out the shells thoroughly. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Pastry Cream: Whisk together egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl. Heat milk with 2 tbsp flour in a saucepan over medium heat until low boil. Temper the egg yolk mixture by gradually whisking in hot milk. Return mixture to the pan, add vanilla bean paste and butter, and cook over medium heat until thickened. Strain through a fine sieve and chill over an ice bath, whisking for 5 minutes to cool and smooth the cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Fill and Glaze the Éclairs: Once the pastry shells are cool, poke three holes in the bottom of each. Pipe pastry cream into shells through the holes until filled. Heat heavy whipping cream in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir in semi-sweet chocolate and salt until melted and smooth to create the glaze. Dip each éclair into the chocolate glaze, swirl to remove excess, then place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate to set the glaze for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the pâte à choux dough is cooked thoroughly to prevent soggy éclairs.
- Adding eggs one at a time ensures proper dough consistency and texture.
- Poking holes at the bottom helps prevent air pockets when filling with pastry cream.
- The triple baking temperatures help dry out the shells, preventing them from collapsing or becoming chewy.
- The pastry cream should be cooled completely before filling to avoid melting the shells.
- For best flavor, use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate and fresh vanilla bean paste.
- Éclairs are best served the day they are made but can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
