Classic Chocolate Éclairs: Choux Pastry, Pastry Cream and Glaze
Light, crisp choux shells, a silky vanilla cream and a glossy ribbon of chocolate: the éclair is a masterpiece of French patisserie. It looks intimidating behind a bakery window, but it is only a handful of simple ingredients and a few key techniques.
This chocolate eclairs recipe covers the choux pastry, the pastry cream and the glaze, with clear steps and fixes for the most common problems.
In this guide: What Are Éclairs? · Ingredients · Making the Choux Pastry · Piping and Baking · Preparing the Vanilla Pastry Cream · Filling the Éclairs · Chocolate Glaze and Decoration · Troubleshooting and Storage · FAQ
What Are Éclairs?
The word éclair means lightning in French, perhaps because they disappear so quickly. An éclair is a long, finger-shaped shell made from choux pastry, filled with cream and topped with icing. Choux dough has no chemical leaven: it rises thanks to steam produced by the eggs and water in the dough, which puffs the shell and leaves a hollow center.
The classic version is filled with vanilla pastry cream (crème pâtissière) and glazed with chocolate, but coffee, caramel and pistachio are popular too.
Ingredients
- Choux pastry: 120 ml (1/2 cup) water, 120 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk, 90 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, cubed, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 150 g (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour, 4 large eggs (about 200 g), at room temperature
- Pastry cream: 500 ml (2 cups) whole milk, 1 vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla extract, 4 egg yolks, 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar, 40 g (1/3 cup) cornstarch, 30 g (2 tbsp) butter
- Chocolate glaze: 150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate, chopped, 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream, 1 tbsp light corn syrup or honey (optional, for shine)
Making the Choux Pastry
Combine the water, milk, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a full boil over medium heat, so the butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat, add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth.
Return to medium heat and stir for 2 minutes to dry the dough. A thin film should form on the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes, until warm but not hot. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each. The finished dough should be thick, glossy and fall from the spoon in a V shape. If it is too stiff, beat in a little beaten egg.
Piping and Baking
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), or 180°C (350°F) fan. Line two trays with parchment. Fit a piping bag with a large 1.5 cm (5/8 in) open star or round tip. Pipe 12-cm (5 in) fingers, spaced 5 cm (2 in) apart. Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip.
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes without opening the door, then reduce to 175°C (350°F) and bake another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown and light. Pale éclairs will collapse. Turn off the oven, prick each shell with a toothpick, and leave them in the oven with the door ajar for 10 minutes to dry out. Cool completely on a rack.
Preparing the Vanilla Pastry Cream
- Heat the milk: Warm the milk with the split vanilla bean (or add extract later) until steaming.
- Whisk the yolks: In a bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until pale, then whisk in the cornstarch.
- Temper: Pour half the hot milk over the yolks in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Return everything to the pan.
- Thicken: Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and bubbles for 1 minute.
- Finish: Off the heat, whisk in the butter. Pour into a shallow dish, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill for at least 2 hours.
Filling the Éclairs
Whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip. Poke three small holes in the bottom of each éclair and pipe in the cream until the shell feels heavy and cream peeks out of the holes. Alternatively, slice the shells in half lengthwise and pipe the cream along the bottom half before replacing the top. Filling from underneath keeps the top smooth for glazing.
Chocolate Glaze and Decoration
Heat the cream until just simmering, pour over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir gently from the center outward until smooth, then stir in the corn syrup. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes until it thickens slightly but is still pourable, about 35°C (95°F).
Dip the top of each éclair into the glaze, then run a finger along the edge to clean it. Let set for 15 minutes in the fridge. For decoration, add a line of white chocolate, chopped pistachios or gold dust.
Troubleshooting and Storage
- Shells collapse: They were underbaked or the oven was opened too early. Bake until deeply golden.
- Shells crack too much: The oven was too hot, or the dough was too dry. Add a bit more egg.
- Flat, spread-out shells: Dough was too wet or the eggs were added while the paste was still hot.
- Soggy shells: Fill shortly before serving and dry the shells well.
Unfilled shells keep 2 days in an airtight container or freeze for 2 months (re-crisp at 160°C/325°F for 5 minutes). Filled éclairs are best the same day and keep up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my éclairs deflate?
They were taken out too early. Bake until deep golden and let them dry in the turned-off oven with the door ajar.
Can I make éclairs ahead?
Yes. Bake the shells up to two days ahead, make the pastry cream the day before, and fill and glaze on the day of serving.
Can I use instant pudding instead of pastry cream?
You can for a shortcut, but homemade pastry cream has a richer flavor and a better texture.
How do I avoid lumpy pastry cream?
Whisk constantly while cooking, and if it still has lumps, pass it through a fine sieve while hot.
Can I use milk chocolate for the glaze?
Yes. Use 175 g (6 oz) milk chocolate with 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) cream, since milk chocolate is softer.
Did you try this recipe? Share your results in the comments below!
