Éclair

Classic Chocolate Éclairs

A classic French éclair: crisp choux pastry shells filled with chocolate crème pâtissière and topped with glossy chocolate fondant. The name means 'lightning,' a nod to how quickly these are devoured.

Prep

40 min

Cook

35 min

Total

75 min

Serves

12 éclairs

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •125 ml (½ cup) whole milk, for choux
• •125 ml (½ cup) water, for choux
• •100 g (3½ oz (about 7 Tbsp)) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, for choux
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine salt
• •5 g (1 tsp) caster sugar, for choux
• •75 g (½ cup + 1 Tbsp) plain flour, sifted, for choux
• •2 whole (2 large) eggs, lightly beaten, for choux; plus 1 extra if needed
• •250 ml (1 cup) whole milk, for crème pâtissière
• •50 g (¼ cup) caster sugar, for crème pâtissière
• •3 g (½ Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch), for crème pâtissière
• •10 g (2 Tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder, for crème pâtissière
• •1 whole (1 large) egg yolk, for crème pâtissière
• •20 g (1½ Tbsp) unsalted butter, for crème pâtissière
• •60 g (¼ cup) dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped, for crème pâtissière
• •100 g (3½ oz) dark chocolate (70%), for fondant glaze
• •30 g (2 Tbsp) unsalted butter, for fondant glaze
• •45 ml (3 Tbsp) whole milk, for fondant glaze; warm
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) icing sugar, sifted, for fondant glaze

Steps

1. 1 Make the choux: combine 125 ml milk, 125 ml water, 100 g butter, 2 g salt and 5 g sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat until the butter fully melts.
2. 2 Add 75 g sifted flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides and a thin film forms on the pan base (this dries the dough so it absorbs the eggs properly).
3. 3 Transfer to a bowl and cool for 2 minutes. Gradually beat in 2 lightly beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. The dough should be glossy and fall slowly from the spoon in a thick ribbon that holds its shape briefly. If it is still too stiff, beat in up to one extra beaten egg; if too soft, the éclairs will spread rather than puff.
4. 4 Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) conventional, or 180°C (350°F) fan. Line a baking tray with baking parchment (do not grease).
5. 5 Transfer the choux to a piping bag fitted with a 12 mm (½ in) plain round nozzle. Pipe 12 fingers, each about 12 cm long × 3 cm wide (4¾ in × 1¼ in), leaving 4 cm (1½ in) between them. Smooth any peaks with a damp fingertip.
6. 6 Bake for 15 minutes at 200°C (400°F), then reduce to 170°C (340°F) conventional / 150°C (300°F) fan and bake a further 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door during baking. The éclairs are done when they are deep golden, feel light and hollow when lifted, and sound hollow when tapped. If they are pale or feel heavy, return to the oven for 5 minutes.
7. 7 Pierce the base of each éclair with a small knife tip immediately to release steam, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Residual steam left inside will make them soggy.
8. 8 Make the crème pâtissière: whisk 50 g sugar, 10 g cocoa, 3 g cornflour and 1 egg yolk in a bowl until smooth. Heat 250 ml milk to just below a simmer in a saucepan, then slowly whisk about a third into the egg mixture to temper. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes until it boils and thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
9. 9 Off the heat, whisk in 20 g butter and 60 g finely chopped dark chocolate until smooth. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill until cold, about 1 hour.
10. 10 Make the fondant glaze: gently melt 100 g chopped dark chocolate with 30 g butter over a bain-marie or in short microwave bursts. Off the heat, whisk in 45 ml warm milk and 15 g sifted icing sugar until glossy and pourable but thick enough to coat; it should run off a spoon in a slow ribbon. Keep warm.
11. 11 Assemble: transfer the chilled crème pâtissière to a piping bag fitted with a small round or star nozzle. Pierce 3 small holes in the base of each éclair and pipe the cream in until the éclair feels heavy. Alternatively slice each éclair in half lengthwise, pipe the cream into the base and replace the lid.
12. 12 Dip the top of each filled éclair into the warm chocolate fondant, letting the excess drip off, then place on a wire rack set over a tray to set for 10 minutes before serving. Best eaten the day they are filled.