Chocolate éclairs are the ultimate French pastry. Light, airy choux. Silky vanilla cream. Glossy chocolate glaze. Bakery-level impressive. Actually doable at home. Let’s choux.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make Choux Pastry
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a saucepan, bring water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat. Add flour all at once. Stir vigorously until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides.
Transfer to a bowl. Cool 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until smooth.
Pipe 4-inch logs onto baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes until puffed and golden. Poke a small hole in each to release steam. Cool completely.
Make Pastry Cream
Heat milk in a saucepan until steaming. In a bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch.
Slowly whisk hot milk into egg mixture. Return to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (2-3 minutes).
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Cover with plastic wrap (touching surface). Refrigerate until cold.
Make Glaze
Heat cream until steaming. Pour over chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Add corn syrup if using.
Assemble
Pipe pastry cream into each éclair through the steam hole or by slicing the side.
Dip tops in chocolate glaze. Let set on a rack.
Serve
Serve chilled or at room temperature. Bakery status achieved.
Summary
Prep Time: 30 min + chilling | Bake Time: 25 min | Total: 55 min + chilling
Yield: 12-15 éclairs | Difficulty: Hard
Storage Notes
Fridge (filled): 1 day (unfilled choux freezes 3 months). Fill fresh for best texture. Never freeze filled éclairs — pastry cream separates.
