Chocolat eclairs

Desserts

Classic French chocolate éclairs with light-as-air choux pastry, silky vanilla crème pâtissière, glossy chocolate glaze, and elegant chocolate curls on top. The pastry crisps up beautifully whilst the filling stays cool and creamy. The chocolate shavings add texture and make them look absolutely stunning.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings 12 éclairs

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Ingredients  

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For the Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)

• 125 ml whole milk
• 125 ml water
• 100 gr unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 150 gr plain flour sifted
• 4 eggs at room temperature

For the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)

• 500 ml whole milk
• 1 vanilla pod or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 eggs yolks
• 125 gr caster sugar
• 40 gr cornflour
• 25 gr unsalted butter

For the Chocolate Glaze

• 200 gr dark chocolate 60-70% cocoa
• 100 ml double cream
• 25 gr unsalted butter

For the Chocolate Decoration

• 50 gr dark chocolate for shavings
• 50 gr white chocolate for shavings
• 50 gr milk chocolate for shavings

Equipment

• 2 baking tray
• baking mat or parchment paper
• stand mixer
• saucepan
• wooden spoon
• double boiler pot
• electric mixer
• piping bag with 1.5cm plain nozzle (for choux) + with small round nozzle (for filling)
• cooling rack
• knife
• vegetable peeler for chocolate curls

Instructions

Make the Crème Pâtissière (Make This First)

1. 1. Infuse the milk

   Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk and add the pod. Heat gently until just steaming, then remove from heat. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
2. 2. Make the custard base

   Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour together in a bowl until pale and smooth.

   Remove the vanilla pod from the milk (rinse it, dry it, and save it for vanilla sugar). Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
3. 3. Cook the pastry cream

   Pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens dramatically, it'll go from liquid to thick custard quite suddenly. Keep whisking for another 2 minutes once it's thick to cook out the cornflour taste.

   Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter until melted and smooth.
4. 4. Chill it properly

   Transfer to a clean bowl. Press cling film directly onto the surface (this stops a skin forming). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold.

   Before using, whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth. It should be thick but pipeable.

Make the Choux Pastry

1. 1. Preheat and prepare

   Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

   Line two baking trays with baking mats or parchment paper. Draw 12cm lines on the parchment, spacing them 5cm apart. Flip the parchment over (you'll see the lines through it, but the ink or pencil won't touch the pastry).
2. 2. Make the choux paste

   Put the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat gently until the butter melts, then bring to a rolling boil.

   Remove from heat immediately. Tip in all the flour at once. Beat hard with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
3. 3. Cool slightly

   Put the pan back on low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. This dries out the paste a bit. You'll see a slight film forming on the bottom of the pan. That's what you want.

   Transfer to a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Leave to cool for 5 minutes, you want it warm, not hot, before adding eggs.
4. 4. Add the eggs

   Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The paste will look like it's splitting at first, keep beating and it'll come together. After the fourth egg, you want a smooth, glossy paste that falls from the spoon in a V-shape when you lift it.
5. 5. Pipe the éclairs

   Transfer the paste to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle. Pipe 12cm lengths onto your prepared trays, using the drawn lines as guides. Leave 5cm between each, they puff up.

   Dip your finger in water and smooth down any peaks. They'll burn otherwise.
6. 6. Bake

   Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the heat to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Bake for another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown and completely dry.

   DO NOT open the oven door for the first 25 minutes or they'll collapse.
7. 7. Dry them out

   Remove from the oven. Immediately poke a small hole in the end of each éclair with a skewer (this releases steam). Return to the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar for 10 minutes to dry out completely.

   Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before filling.

Make the Chocolate Glaze

1. 1. Melt everything together

   Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl or double boiler.

   Heat the cream and butter together in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over the chocolate. Leave for 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.
2. 2. Let it thicken

   Leave the glaze to cool for 10-15 minutes at room temperature. It should thicken to coating consistency, thick enough to coat the éclairs without running off.

Make the Chocolate Curls

1. 1. Prepare the chocolate

   Your chocolate needs to be slightly warm and pliable, not cold and brittle. If it's been in the fridge, leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. 2. Make the curls

   Hold a bar of chocolate over a plate or tray. Use a vegetable peeler to shave curls off the flat side of the chocolate bar. The chocolate will naturally curl as you peel it.

   Make curls from both the dark, white and milk chocolate. You want a good mix.

   If the chocolate breaks instead of curling, it's too cold. Warm it slightly in your hands or near a warm oven.

   Store the curls in a cool place (not the fridge) until ready to use.

Assemble the Éclairs

1. 1. Fill with pastry cream

   Make three small holes along the bottom of each éclair using a skewer.

   Transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle. Pipe cream through each hole until you feel the éclair getting heavier and the cream starts to come back out.
2. 2. Glaze with chocolate

   Dip the top of each éclair into the chocolate glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Run your finger along the edges for a clean finish.

   Place glazed-side up on a wire rack.
3. 3. Add the chocolate curls

   Whilst the glaze is still wet (within 2-3 minutes of dipping), sprinkle the chocolate curls generously over the top. Press them in gently so they stick.
4. 4. Let them set

   Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes until the chocolate glaze sets completely.
5. 5. Serve

   Éclairs are best eaten within 4-6 hours of assembling. The choux pastry stays crispest if filled close to serving time.

   If you must make them ahead, fill and glaze them up to 4 hours before serving. Add the chocolate curls just before serving. Keep refrigerated, but bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.

Notes

• You can make components ahead like the unfilled choux shells keep in an airtight container for 2 days (crisp them in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes before using). Pastry cream keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Chocolate glaze keeps for 3 days (gently rewarm to make it spreadable). Make chocolate curls up to 2 days ahead and store in a cool, dry place.
• Can I freeze éclairs?
  Freeze unfilled choux shells for up to 1 month. Defrost and crisp in a warm oven. Don’t freeze assembled éclairs, the pastry cream doesn’t freeze well.
• Baking tips: Deep golden colour means they’re done. They should feel light and sound hollow when tapped. If you’re unsure, give them an extra 5 minutes, better slightly over-baked than under-baked.
• Smooth pastry cream every time: Whisk constantly whilst it’s heating and thickening. If you’re worried about lumps, have a sieve ready and push the finished cream through it. Problem solved.
• Flavour variations: Traditionally French, but you can play around. Add a tablespoon of instant coffee to the pastry cream for coffee éclairs. Use milk chocolate instead of dark for a sweeter finish. Add a pinch of fleur de sel to the chocolate glaze for salted chocolate éclairs.

About this recipe

Éclairs appeared in France around the 1850s, though the exact origin is debated. Some credit Antonin Carême, the legendary French chef. Others point to the pâtisserie Pons in Lyon. What’s certain: by the late 19th century, éclairs were firmly established in French pâtisserie. Chocolate was the classic flavour, though coffee became popular shortly after.

Choux pastry itself dates back further, possibly to the 16th century. It’s the basis for éclairs, profiteroles, croquembouche, Paris-Brest, and gougères. Once you’ve mastered it, you’ve unlocked an entire category of French pâtisserie.

Traditional éclairs use fondant icing (a smooth, pourable sugar icing). Chocolate ganache became the more common topping by the mid-20th century because it’s easier for home bakers and tastes better.

The chocolate curls on top are a modern pâtisserie touch, not strictly traditional, but very much in keeping with how French bakeries present their éclairs now. It’s about making something that tastes brilliant and looks absolutely stunning.

The French take their éclairs seriously. In Paris, pâtisseries compete to make the longest, most perfectly piped, most inventive versions. But the classic chocolate éclair with vanilla pastry cream remains the benchmark.