Chocolate éclairs
Chocolate éclairs are long choux pastries filled with vanilla pastry cream and topped with chocolate glaze. Bake dry, firm shells and chill the cream completely before filling.
Additional 2 h 30 min — cooling and chilling
How to make it
Completed 0 of 8 steps
Make the vanilla pastry cream
Heat 525 ml milk with vanilla. Mix yolks with 100 g sugar and starch, then gradually add hot milk. Return to the pan, bring to the first bubbles and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
Chill the filling
Remove from heat and stir in 30 g butter. Transfer to a wide dish, press cling film against the surface, cool quickly over a cold water bath and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Make the choux paste
Boil remaining 125 ml milk with water, 100 g butter, 15 g sugar and salt. Add all the flour, stir into a ball and dry over low heat for 2–3 minutes until a thin film forms on the base.
Add the eggs
Transfer to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add lightly mixed eggs in portions until shiny and falling in a broad ribbon. Add the last portion gradually to avoid runny paste.
Pipe and bake
Heat the oven to 200 °C. Pipe 10–12 strips about 12 cm long onto parchment, well spaced. Bake for 15 minutes, then 20–25 minutes at 180 °C until firm and golden. Do not open the door for the first 25 minutes.
Dry the shells
Pierce shells underneath and leave in the switched-off oven with the door ajar for 5 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. There must be no damp lumps of raw dough inside.
Make the glaze
Chop the chocolate. Heat cream until steaming, pour over and leave for 2 minutes, then stir smooth. Cool until thick enough to coat a spoon.
Fill and glaze
Whisk chilled pastry cream smooth and pipe into small holes underneath each éclair. Dip tops in chocolate glaze and chill for 30 minutes. Do not add berries, nuts or sugar decorations.
Little hint
Golden colour alone is insufficient; under-dried choux collapses under filling. Refrigerate filled éclairs and never put cream into hot shells.
Frequently asked questions
What should I watch out for when cooking?
Golden colour alone is insufficient; under-dried choux collapses under filling. Refrigerate filled éclairs and never put cream into hot shells.
How should I prepare the ingredients?
Heat 525 ml milk with vanilla. Mix yolks with 100 g sugar and starch, then gradually add hot milk. Return to the pan, bring to the first bubbles and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly.
