FranceÉclair
The Éclair is a masterpiece of French pâtisserie — a delicate hollow shell of choux pastry filled with vanilla custard and topped with glossy chocolate glaze.
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 120 mlSee recipes with water
water (choux pastry)
i - 60 gSee recipes with unsalted butter
unsalted butter (choux)
i - pinch
- 75 gSee recipes with all-purpose flour
all-purpose flour, sifted
i - 2See recipes with large eggs
large eggs, lightly beaten
i - 250 mlSee recipes with whole milk
whole milk (pastry cream)
i - 0.5See recipes with vanilla bean
vanilla bean (or 1 tsp extract)
i - 3See recipes with large egg yolks
large egg yolks
i - 60 gSee recipes with granulated sugar
granulated sugar (pastry cream)
i - 25 gSee recipes with cornstarch
cornstarch
i - 100 gSee recipes with semi-sweet or dark chocolate
semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped (glaze)
i - 1 tablespoonSee recipes with light corn syrup or honey
light corn syrup or honey (glaze)
i - 60-80 mlSee recipes with heavy cream
heavy cream (glaze)
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
Pastry cream: heat milk with vanilla until simmering. Whisk yolks, sugar and cornstarch until pale. Pour hot milk into egg mixture, return to pan and cook, whisking, until thick. Strain, cover surface with cling film and chill at least 2 hours.
- 2
Choux pastry: preheat oven to 200°C. Bring water, butter and salt to a rolling boil. Off heat, add all flour at once and stir vigorously. Return to low heat and cook 1 minute. Cool 5 minutes, then gradually beat in eggs until smooth and glossy.
- 3
Pipe 10-12 cm logs onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 200°C, then reduce to 175°C and bake 20-25 minutes more until deep golden. Do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes. Cool completely.
- 4
Glaze: melt chocolate, corn syrup and heavy cream together until smooth.
- 5
Make 2-3 holes in the bottom of each éclair shell and fill with pastry cream. Dip tops in warm chocolate glaze and refrigerate 15 minutes to set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't éclairs rise or why do they collapse?
Two main reasons: too many eggs (batter is too runny) or opening the oven too early. The right consistency — batter falls slowly from a spatula in a triangle. Do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes under any circumstances.
What can replace pastry cream in éclairs?
Instead of classic crème pâtissière, you can use whipped cream (lighter option), mascarpone with sugar, or chocolate ganache. The taste will change, but the éclairs will still be delicious.
How should éclairs be stored?
Empty choux shells keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month. Filled éclairs — refrigerator only, no more than 24 hours: the cream softens the pastry.
Why isn't the éclair glaze shiny?
The glaze should be applied to warm éclairs just out of the oven — then it sets evenly and shines. If applied to cold ones, the glaze will be matte. Corn syrup or honey adds shine.
Can finished éclairs be frozen?
It's best to freeze empty shells without cream or glaze. Filled éclairs lose texture when frozen — the cream becomes watery and the pastry goes soft after thawing.
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