Description
Classic Homemade Eclairs are delicate French pastries featuring light and airy choux pastry shells filled with creamy vanilla custard and topped with a rich, glossy dark chocolate glaze. This recipe guides you through making the perfect eclairs from scratch, resulting in a deliciously sweet and elegant dessert ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Choux Pastry
- 1 cup Water (Base for the choux pastry.)
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter (Adds richness to the pastry.)
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (Main structure-building ingredient.)
- 4 large Eggs (Provides moisture and binding.)
- 1 tablespoon Granulated Sugar (Enhances flavor.)
- ½ teaspoon Salt (Balances sweetness.)
Custard Filling
- 2 cups Whole Milk (Creates a smooth custard.)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar (Sweetens the custard.)
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour (Thickens the custard.)
- 4 large Egg Yolks (Adds richness to the custard.)
Chocolate Glaze
- 4 ounces Dark Chocolate (For a glossy finish.)
- ½ cup Heavy Cream (Adds richness to the glaze.)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prepare for baking the choux pastry shells.
- Make Water-Butter Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine water and unsalted butter. Heat on the stovetop until the butter melts completely and the mixture comes to a simmer.
- Add Flour and Salt: Remove the pan from heat. Immediately add all-purpose flour and salt to the hot mixture, stirring vigorously until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool Dough and Add Eggs: Let the dough cool for about 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth and shiny.
- Pipe the Dough: Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip. Pipe long strips (about 4-5 inches) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each.
- Bake Choux Pastry: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the eclairs are golden brown and puffed up. Avoid opening the oven door during baking to prevent collapse.
- Prepare Custard Base: While the eclairs bake, heat whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling.
- Mix Custard Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, and egg yolks until smooth. Gradually pour hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.
- Cook Custard: Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Cool and Vent Eclairs: Once baked, transfer eclairs to a wire rack to cool. Make a small slit or hole in each pastry to let steam escape to maintain crispiness.
- Fill Eclairs: Fill a piping bag with the cooled custard and pipe it into each eclair through the slit, filling them evenly.
- Make Chocolate Glaze: Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and add chopped dark chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the glaze is smooth.
- Glaze Eclairs: Dip the tops of each custard-filled eclair into the chocolate glaze, then set them back on the wire rack to allow the glaze to set before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the dough cools slightly before adding eggs to avoid cooking them prematurely.
- Do not open the oven door while baking to prevent the eclairs from collapsing.
- Allow the custard to cool completely before filling to avoid making the pastry soggy.
- If the glaze thickens before dipping, gently reheat it over low heat to restore smoothness.
- Store filled eclairs in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days for best freshness.
