Description
A detailed guide to making restaurant-quality eclairs at home, featuring foolproof choux pastry shells, rich vanilla bean custard, and a glossy chocolate glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
- Remove from heat and add all flour at once, stirring vigorously until a smooth ball forms and a film appears on the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer dough to a mixer bowl and let cool for 5 minutes until warm to the touch.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth, glossy, and falls in a slow ribbon (figure 8 test).
- Pipe 4-5 inch logs onto baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Smooth peaks with wet fingers.
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden and hard.
- Turn off oven, prop door open slightly, and let shells dry for 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- For custard, whisk sugar, flour, and cornstarch in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and vanilla.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and boiling. Cook for 1-2 minutes more.
- Temper egg yolks with hot custard, then return mixture to pan. Cook for 1 more minute until thick.
- Stir in cold butter until melted. Press plastic wrap directly on surface and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- For glaze, heat heavy cream until simmering. Pour over chocolate chips, let sit 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Add corn syrup and salt.
- Slice cooled shells horizontally. Fill bottom halves with chilled custard and replace tops.
- Dip tops of eclairs into glaze and let set for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking to prevent collapse. Ensure plastic wrap touches the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Shells must be completely cool before filling to prevent the custard from melting.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 eclair
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 32
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 6
Keywords: eclairs, choux pastry, vanilla custard, chocolate glaze, homemade dessert, french pastry, baking from scratch