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Perfect Classic Chocolate Eclair Recipe (Foolproof) Recipe

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4.1 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Eliza
  • Total Time: 3 hours (including chilling and freezing time)
  • Yield: 14 eclairs
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This Perfect Classic Chocolate Eclair recipe delivers light, airy choux pastry filled with silky vanilla pastry cream and topped with a glossy semi-sweet chocolate ganache. Foolproof and elegantly simple, this dessert combines delicate textures and rich flavors, making it an irresistible treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Choux Pastry

  • 60 g Unsalted butter (82% European style butter, room temperature, in chunks)
  • 60 g Water
  • 60 g Whole milk
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
  • 70 g Bread flour (high protein content, approx. 13%)
  • 110 g Egg (approx. 2 large eggs, at room temperature)

Pastry Cream Filling

  • 240 g Whole milk (3% fat)
  • 50 g Granulated sugar
  • 40 g Egg yolk (approx. yolk of 2 eggs)
  • 12 g Corn starch
  • 12 g All purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 28 g Unsalted butter (82% fat, room temperature)

Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • 170 g Semi sweet chocolate (high quality, e.g., Callebaut or Lindt)
  • 77 g Heavy cream (36% fat)
  • 15 g Unsalted butter (82% fat, room temperature)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Choux Pastry Dough: Sift the bread flour and set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter chunks, water, milk, salt, and sugar. Heat until the mixture begins to simmer, but do not boil.
  2. Form Dough Ball: Remove the saucepan from heat, add the flour all at once, and vigorously whisk with a rubber spatula until a smooth ball forms with no visible flour bits.
  3. Cook Dough: Return saucepan to medium heat and cook dough for 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly until a thin skin forms on the bottom and the water evaporates.
  4. Incorporate Eggs: Transfer dough to a stand mixer bowl and whisk on low speed with paddle attachment for about 1 minute to cool slightly. Gradually add lightly beaten eggs in small amounts, fully incorporating each addition until dough is glossy and pipeable, falling in a V shape from paddle. Adjust egg quantity as needed.
  5. Pipe and Chill: Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 0.5 inch French star nozzle. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour for better piping and shape retention.
  6. Pipe Eclairs: Pipe 14 equal-sized eclairs on a perforated air baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them to allow puffing. Pipe at a 45° angle with even pressure. Smooth ends with a lightly wet finger.
  7. Freeze and Prepare for Baking: Lightly dust piped dough with powdered sugar to prevent cracking. Freeze for at least 1 hour before baking.
  8. Bake Eclairs: Preheat oven to 200°C (392°F), no fan. Place tray in oven, reduce temperature to 170°C (338°F), and bake for 40 minutes. Do not open oven door for the first 30 minutes. Check doneness by ensuring golden puffed exterior, no deflation at room temperature, and no raw centers.
  9. Cool Eclairs: Remove from oven and cool on the perforated air mat until room temperature before filling and glazing.
  10. Prepare Pastry Cream: Whisk sugar and egg yolks in a bowl for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add cornstarch, flour, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
  11. Temper and Cook Cream: Heat milk until just simmering. Slowly whisk milk into the egg yolk mixture to temper. Return mixture to saucepan, cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened (about 1 minute after boiling). Remove from heat and strain if needed.
  12. Incorporate Butter: Gradually mix in softened butter chunks until fully combined. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to avoid skin and chill until completely cool.
  13. Prepare Ganache Glaze: Semi-melt chocolate in microwave. Heat cream until simmering. Pour cream over chocolate and stir until smooth. Mix in butter and let cool to about 30°C (86°F) for proper glaze consistency.
  14. Fill Eclairs: Make three small holes in the bottom or insert piping nozzle into the side of each eclair. Gently pipe pastry cream inside until fully filled.
  15. Glaze Eclairs: Dip tops of filled eclairs into cooled ganache, ensuring even coverage. Tap gently to remove excess glaze or clean edges with fingers.
  16. Set Glaze and Serve: Refrigerate for 2-3 minutes to firm glaze for a glossy finish. Serve eclairs immediately for best texture as they lose crispiness over time. Store leftovers in the fridge up to one day.

Notes

  • Ensure eggs are at room temperature for better incorporation into dough.
  • The egg quantity for choux dough may vary; watch for dough consistency rather than exact volume.
  • Do not open oven door during early baking to prevent eclairs from collapsing.
  • Cover pastry cream with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin formation.
  • Use high-quality chocolate for a richer ganache flavor.
  • Eclairs are best eaten fresh to maintain crispiness; refrigerated leftovers lose texture.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: French

Find it online: https://recipekind.com/perfect-classic-chocolate-eclair-recipe-foolproof-recipe/