Éclairs are about 10cm long, filled pastries made from choux pastry of french origin. You can use whatever filling you like, for example strawberry, raspberry, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, cream or custard. Usually it is covered with fondant or a glaze. To make éclairs, you fill the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a large french star tip, pipe it onto a baking sheet and bake it at high temperature.
For my first shot I decided to stick to the classic version with a vanilla pastry cream filling and dark chocolate ganache on top. I am quite happy with the result, although it is far from perfect. I will certainly make them again to improve my technique.
Tools & Equipment
- 2 large baking sheets
- 2 piping bags fitted with a french star tip and plain tip
- Airtight container
- Medium bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Silicone spatula
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment
- Wire rack
- Wooden spoon
Recipe Tips
Consistency of the Dough: for this recipe you need 3-4 eggs. In fact, it depends on whether the dough dries out more or less during cooking. Check after incorporating the third egg by sticking a spatula into the dough and lifting it above the bowl. The dough should slowly fall off the spatula into ribbons and be thick, but fluid enough to pipe.
Piping Bag: in case you do not have a piping bag, you can use a plastic bag and cut off a corner. Either insert a piping tip or if you don’t have one, use the bag like it is. Fill the bag only one third full to make it easier to handle. Push the dough down towards the tip of the bag and pipe the first portion of dough onto the parchment and refill the bag.
Piping Guide: use a pencil and ruler to mark 13cm / 5-inch long lines spaced 3.5cm / 1,4-inch apart on your parchment paper, about 8 lines per parchment / baking sheet. Flip the parchment with the pencil-lines down and place it on the baking sheet. This will give you a guideline for piping the éclairs.
Vanilla Pastry Cream: I like to make the pastry cream a day in advance which gives it enough time to cool completely. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and store it overnight in an airtight container in the fridge. You can find my recipe here: Vanilla Pastry Cream.
Step by Step Instructions for Éclairs
Make the Éclairs
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Draw the lines on parchment paper, flip them over, place on the 2 baking sheets and set aside. Gather your ingredients.
Mix water, milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir from time to time.
Remove from the heat, add the flour and stir vigorously with a spatula or a wooden spoon until a dough comes together, for about 1-2 minutes. Cook while stirring until a film forms at the bottom of the saucepan and continue until the white film covers the bottom completely, for about 2-3 minutes.
Pour the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed stir the dough for about 3 minutes. The outside of the bowl should feel warm to the touch. Add the eggs on low speed, one at a time, and make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next egg.
Check the consistency of your dough with a spatula and once it looks good, fill the dough in a piping bag with a 1 cm / ⅓-inch french star tip.
Hold the piping bag at a 45° angle over the parchment paper and pipe 13cm / 5-inch long éclairs with even pressure, at least 3,5cm / 1,4-inch apart. Reduce the pressure on the bag when you reach the end of the line; then stop applying pressure and lift the bag, leaving a small curl at the end of the éclair. Wet your finger with water and press the tip onto the éclair. Repeat the process with the rest of the dough. Beat the remaining egg and yolk in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush and lightly brush the egg wash on top of the éclairs.
Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 177°C / 350°F and bake for another 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown, feel light and hollow. Remove the eclairs from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Dark Chocolate Ganache
Weigh your ingredients and place the chocolate in a medium bowl.
Mix the cream and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the hot cream mixture slowly over the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
Once all the chocolate has melted, stop whisking to avoid too much air getting into the ganache.
Add the butter and stir until fully incorporated. Let the ganache cool completely.
Assemble the Éclairs
Use a 0,65cm / ¼-inch round piping tip, poke 2 holes about 2cm / ¾-inch from each end on the bottom of each éclair. Fill a pastry bag with the vanilla pastry cream using the same tip. Insert the piping tip into one hole and start filling the éclair with light pressure. Squeeze cream into the second hole until the éclair feels heavy.
Hold the éclair in the lower half and dip the top of the eclair into the glaze. Lift the éclair out of the glaze. Then slowly lift one end of the éclair and allow excess chocolate to run off. Place the éclair on a baking sheet to let the chocolate fully set.
Serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
Storage: filled éclairs are best served the same day. You can keep the vanilla pastry cream and dark chocolate ganache in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pastry cream and ganache. Before using, stir the cream with a spatula until it is soft and spreadable. Microwave the ganache for about 10-20 seconds before using to make it liquid again.
My Summary for Éclairs
Difficulty: intermediate.
Taste: the éclair dough is not sweet, therefore the sweet vanilla pastry cream combined with the dark chocolate ganache stand out.
Texture: the shell of the éclair is thin and crispy, while the vanilla filling is very creamy. The layer of chocolate on top is first slightly cracky and then melts in your mouth.
PROS: éclairs are delicious and also make a wonderful impression.
CONS: you need to prepare several things: the dough, the vanilla pastry cream and the chocolate ganache. Making the dough is easy if you pay attention to the consistency. But it’s a challenge to pipe the dough in a steady way so the éclairs rise evenly without holes and are hollow inside.
