Eclairs
About This Eclairs
This eclairs recipe strikes the perfect balance between achievable and impressive, making it ideal for bakers ready to expand their skills while still achieving guaranteed delicious results. While this recipe requires a bit more technique and attention than basic recipes, the stunning results and incredible flavor make every moment worthwhile.
What Makes This Eclairs Special
You'll develop valuable baking skills as you work through this recipe, from mastering proper mixing techniques to understanding how ingredients work together to create the perfect texture. This recipe has been carefully developed to guide you through each step with clear instructions and helpful tips that set you up for success. The secret to achieving bakery-quality results lies in following the timing and techniques precisely, and the reward is a spectacular creation that looks and tastes like it came from a professional bakery.
Key Techniques for Success
Perfect for impressing guests at dinner parties, celebrating milestone occasions, or treating your family to something truly special, this recipe delivers restaurant-quality results in your own kitchen. What makes this recipe stand out is the incredible depth of flavor and beautiful presentation that elevates it beyond ordinary baked goods.
Perfect for Every Occasion
With a little patience and attention to detail, you'll create something truly memorable that showcases your growing baking expertise and brings joy to everyone who tastes it.
Ingredients
- 240ml (1 cup) Water
- 115g (½ cup) Unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 125g (1 cup) All-purpose flour
- 4 Large eggs
- 480ml (2 cups) Whole milk
- 100g (½ cup) Granulated sugar
- 4 Egg yolks
- 40g (⅓ cup) Cornstarch
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 170g (6 oz) Dark chocolate, chopped
- 120ml (½ cup) Heavy cream
Quick Info
- Total Time:
- 120 min
- Difficulty:
- Medium
- Servings:
- 12
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- 2
Make choux: Bring water, butter, and salt to boil. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook 1-2 minutes until dough forms a ball.
- 3
Transfer to a bowl, cool 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth and glossy.
- 4
Pipe dough into 5-inch lines on prepared sheets. Bake 15 minutes at 425°F, reduce to 375°F, bake 15-20 more minutes until golden. Cool completely.
- 5
Make pastry cream: Heat milk until simmering. Whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Slowly pour hot milk into yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
- 6
Return to pot, cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap touching surface. Chill completely.
- 7
Make ganache: Heat cream until simmering. Pour over chocolate, let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
- 8
Poke 3 holes in bottom of each eclair. Fill a pastry bag with pastry cream and pipe into each hole until filled.
- 9
Dip top of each eclair in chocolate ganache. Let set for 15 minutes.
- 10
Refrigerate until serving. Best eaten within 24 hours.
Pro Tips
- •Don't open the oven during baking or eclairs will collapse.
- •Make sure pastry cream is cold before filling.
- •Use a star tip to fill - it distributes cream evenly.
- •Fill eclairs close to serving time so shells stay crisp.
Variations
Fill with chocolate pastry cream. Top with coffee glaze instead of chocolate. Make mini eclairs for parties.
