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Foolproof Chocolate Eclairs Recipe

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4 from 11 reviews

Foolproof Chocolate Eclairs featuring a delicate and crispy choux pastry shell filled with silky smooth chocolate creme patisserie and topped with a shiny chocolate glaze. This classic French dessert combines light pastry with rich chocolate filling and a glossy finish, perfect for any special occasion or indulgent treat.

  • Total Time: 2-3 hours (including cooling and filling time)
  • Yield: 10-12 eclairs

Ingredients

Choux Pastry Shell:

  • ½ cup water (120g)
  • ¼ cup milk (60g)
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter (85g)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup bread flour (100g)
  • 3 large eggs, cold
  • 1 egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk for egg wash

Chocolate Creme Patisserie:

  • 1 ½ cup milk (360g)
  • ½ cup cream (120g)
  • 4 egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup sugar (75g)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 150g semi-sweet chocolate

Chocolate Glaze:

  • 100g bittersweet or dark chocolate
  • 100g unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Eclairs Dough: In a nonstick saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the butter melts and the mixture just boils. Remove from heat and immediately stir in sifted bread flour until smooth dough forms.
  2. Cook the Dough: Return the pan to heat and stir the dough continuously for 1-2 minutes until it forms a thin film on the bottom of the pan and pulls away from the sides, indicating it's dried out properly.
  3. Cool the Dough: Remove from heat and allow the dough to cool for 5-10 minutes to prevent cooking the eggs when added.
  4. Add Eggs to Dough: Beat the eggs lightly in a separate bowl. Gradually add the eggs to the dough while mixing with an electric beater until a thick batter forms that falls in a V shape from the spatula. Do not add extra eggs once this consistency is reached.
  5. Pipe the Eclairs: Fit a piping bag with a ½-inch French star tip and transfer the batter into it. Pipe 5-inch long eclairs onto silicone-lined baking sheets, spacing them evenly with no more than six per sheet. Smooth edges with a damp finger and brush with egg wash.
  6. Bake the Eclairs: Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake the eclairs for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 330°F without opening the oven door and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
  7. Pierce and Dry Eclairs: Near the end of baking, remove eclairs and pierce three holes in the bottom of each using a Bismarck piping tip. Flip them upside down and return to the oven for 5-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Notes

  • Use cold eggs to better control dough consistency when mixing.
  • Do not open the oven door during temperature reduction to prevent collapse of pastry.
  • Make sure the choux dough is cooked well on the stovetop to avoid soggy pastry.
  • Use a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
  • Allow eclairs to cool completely before filling to avoid melting the filling.
  • Chocolate creme patisserie and glaze preparation are implied but not detailed in this recipe; prepare accordingly before filling/piping.
  • Author: Maya
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://cozykitchenbymaya.com/foolproof-chocolate-eclairs-recipe/