15/09/2026
Chocolate Éclairs
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
120 ml (½ cup) water
120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter
1 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
125 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, room temperature
For the vanilla pastry cream
500 ml (2 cups) whole milk
4 egg yolks
100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
40 g (⅓ cup) cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
25 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
For the chocolate glaze
150 g dark or semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
120 ml (½ cup) heavy/whipping cream
15 g (1 tbsp) butter, optional
Chocolate shavings, optional
Method
First make the pastry cream. Heat the milk until steaming. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until smooth, then gradually whisk in the hot milk. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Cover the surface directly and chill completely.
For the choux pastry, combine the water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until a smooth dough forms and pulls away from the sides.
Cool the dough for about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. The finished choux should be smooth, glossy and thick enough to hold its shape.
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large star or round nozzle. Pipe 10–12 cm (4–5 inch) strips onto a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving plenty of space between them.
Bake at 200°C / 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 180°C / 350°F and bake for another 20–25 minutes, until deeply golden, crisp and dry. Don't open the oven during the early stages of baking. Cool completely.
Make small holes underneath the cooled éclairs and pipe in the chilled pastry cream until each éclair feels full.
Heat the cream until steaming and pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir until glossy; add butter if desired. Dip or spread the top of each éclair in the chocolate glaze. Let the glaze set slightly before serving.
Tip: Properly baked choux should feel light and hollow, not soft or heavy. A deep golden color helps ensure the shells are dry enough to stay crisp after they're filled.