Description
This Homemade Eclairs recipe features light and airy choux pastry filled with rich vanilla pastry cream and topped with a smooth, glossy chocolate ganache. Perfectly baked and elegantly glazed, these classic French desserts are sure to impress at any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry Cream
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons (23g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Seeds scraped from ½ vanilla bean (or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)
- Pinch of salt
Choux Pastry Dough
- 1 batch choux pastry dough (prepared separately)
- Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or water
Ganache
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 4 ounces (113g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Make Pastry Cream: In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cornstarch until smooth and well combined.
- Heat Milk and Sugar: In a saucepan, gently heat the whole milk and granulated sugar over medium heat until it just begins to simmer.
- Temper Egg Yolks: Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
- Cook Mixture: Transfer the combined mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, continuously whisking until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency.
- Finish Pastry Cream: Remove from heat and whisk in the softened butter, vanilla extract, scraped vanilla bean seeds (or additional vanilla), and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Chill: Cover the pastry cream and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set and develop flavor.
- Prepare Choux Pastry: Prepare the choux pastry dough according to your preferred recipe or a standard one, ensuring it is smooth and ready for piping.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (204°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly brush them with water to prevent sticking.
- Pipe Eclairs: Using a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pipe approximately 4-inch long logs of choux dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Apply Egg Wash: Brush the shaped eclairs gently with the egg wash mixture for a nice golden finish.
- Bake at High Temperature: Place baking sheets in the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 400°F (204°C) to initially puff up the dough.
- Lower Oven Temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for an additional 8–12 minutes until eclairs are golden and firm.
- Cool Eclairs: Remove eclairs from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
- Make Chocolate Ganache: Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat Cream: Warm the heavy cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer.
- Combine Cream and Chocolate: Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for a minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.
- Cool Ganache: Let the ganache cool for about 15 minutes to thicken slightly for easier dipping.
- Fill Eclairs: Transfer the chilled pastry cream into a piping bag. Prick a small hole in the end of each cooled eclair and pipe the cream inside until filled.
- Top with Ganache: Dip the tops of each filled eclair into the cooled chocolate ganache to coat them evenly.
- Set Ganache: Allow the chocolate ganache to set at room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the pastry cream is fully chilled for best texture when filling the eclairs.
- Use fresh eggs and quality chocolate for optimal flavor.
- Egg wash helps achieve a golden, glossy finish on the baked eclairs.
- Cooling eclairs completely prevents the pastry cream from melting during filling.
- Ganache consistency can be adjusted by cooling longer for thicker glaze or using warmer cream for a thinner finish.
