Chocolat eclairs
Prep Time 45 minutes 
Cook Time 35 minutes 
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes 
Servings 12 éclairsIngredients
For the Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)
- 125 ml whole milk
- 125 ml water
- 100 gr unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 150 gr plain flour sifted
- 4 eggs at room temperature
For the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
- 500 ml whole milk
- 1 vanilla pod or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 eggs yolks
- 125 gr caster sugar
- 40 gr cornflour
- 25 gr unsalted butter
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 200 gr dark chocolate 60-70% cocoa
- 100 ml double cream
- 25 gr unsalted butter
For the Chocolate Decoration
- 50 gr dark chocolate for shavings
- 50 gr white chocolate for shavings
- 50 gr milk chocolate for shavings
Equipment
Instructions
Make the Crème Pâtissière (Make This First)
1. Infuse the milk
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the milk and add the pod. Heat gently until just steaming, then remove from heat. Leave to infuse for 15 minutes.
2. Make the custard base
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour together in a bowl until pale and smooth.Remove the vanilla pod from the milk (rinse it, dry it, and save it for vanilla sugar). Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
3. Cook the pastry cream
- Pour everything back into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens dramatically, it'll go from liquid to thick custard quite suddenly. Keep whisking for another 2 minutes once it's thick to cook out the cornflour taste.Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter until melted and smooth.
4. Chill it properly
- Transfer to a clean bowl. Press cling film directly onto the surface (this stops a skin forming). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until completely cold.Before using, whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth. It should be thick but pipeable.
Make the Choux Pastry
1. Preheat and prepare
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/400°F/Gas Mark 6.Line two baking trays with baking mats or parchment paper. Draw 12cm lines on the parchment, spacing them 5cm apart. Flip the parchment over (you'll see the lines through it, but the ink or pencil won't touch the pastry).
2. Make the choux paste
- Put the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat gently until the butter melts, then bring to a rolling boil.Remove from heat immediately. Tip in all the flour at once. Beat hard with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan.
3. Cool slightly
- Put the pan back on low heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. This dries out the paste a bit. You'll see a slight film forming on the bottom of the pan. That's what you want.Transfer to a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer). Leave to cool for 5 minutes, you want it warm, not hot, before adding eggs.
4. Add the eggs
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The paste will look like it's splitting at first, keep beating and it'll come together. After the fourth egg, you want a smooth, glossy paste that falls from the spoon in a V-shape when you lift it.
5. Pipe the éclairs
- Transfer the paste to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm plain nozzle. Pipe 12cm lengths onto your prepared trays, using the drawn lines as guides. Leave 5cm between each, they puff up.Dip your finger in water and smooth down any peaks. They'll burn otherwise.
6. Bake
- Bake for 10 minutes at 200°C, then reduce the heat to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Bake for another 20-25 minutes until deep golden brown and completely dry.DO NOT open the oven door for the first 25 minutes or they'll collapse.
7. Dry them out
- Remove from the oven. Immediately poke a small hole in the end of each éclair with a skewer (this releases steam). Return to the turned-off oven with the door slightly ajar for 10 minutes to dry out completely.Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before filling.
Make the Chocolate Glaze
1. Melt everything together
- Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl or double boiler.Heat the cream and butter together in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over the chocolate. Leave for 1 minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy.
2. Let it thicken
- Leave the glaze to cool for 10-15 minutes at room temperature. It should thicken to coating consistency, thick enough to coat the éclairs without running off.
Make the Chocolate Curls
1. Prepare the chocolate
- Your chocolate needs to be slightly warm and pliable, not cold and brittle. If it's been in the fridge, leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Make the curls
- Hold a bar of chocolate over a plate or tray. Use a vegetable peeler to shave curls off the flat side of the chocolate bar. The chocolate will naturally curl as you peel it.Make curls from both the dark, white and milk chocolate. You want a good mix.If the chocolate breaks instead of curling, it's too cold. Warm it slightly in your hands or near a warm oven.Store the curls in a cool place (not the fridge) until ready to use.
Assemble the Éclairs
1. Fill with pastry cream
- Make three small holes along the bottom of each éclair using a skewer.Transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle. Pipe cream through each hole until you feel the éclair getting heavier and the cream starts to come back out.
2. Glaze with chocolate
- Dip the top of each éclair into the chocolate glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Run your finger along the edges for a clean finish.Place glazed-side up on a wire rack.
3. Add the chocolate curls
- Whilst the glaze is still wet (within 2-3 minutes of dipping), sprinkle the chocolate curls generously over the top. Press them in gently so they stick.
4. Let them set
- Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes until the chocolate glaze sets completely.
5. Serve
- Éclairs are best eaten within 4-6 hours of assembling. The choux pastry stays crispest if filled close to serving time.If you must make them ahead, fill and glaze them up to 4 hours before serving. Add the chocolate curls just before serving. Keep refrigerated, but bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.
Notes
- You can make components ahead like the unfilled choux shells keep in an airtight container for 2 days (crisp them in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes before using). Pastry cream keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Chocolate glaze keeps for 3 days (gently rewarm to make it spreadable). Make chocolate curls up to 2 days ahead and store in a cool, dry place.
- Can I freeze éclairs?
Freeze unfilled choux shells for up to 1 month. Defrost and crisp in a warm oven. Don’t freeze assembled éclairs, the pastry cream doesn’t freeze well. - Baking tips: Deep golden colour means they’re done. They should feel light and sound hollow when tapped. If you’re unsure, give them an extra 5 minutes, better slightly over-baked than under-baked.
- Smooth pastry cream every time: Whisk constantly whilst it’s heating and thickening. If you’re worried about lumps, have a sieve ready and push the finished cream through it. Problem solved.
- Flavour variations: Traditionally French, but you can play around. Add a tablespoon of instant coffee to the pastry cream for coffee éclairs. Use milk chocolate instead of dark for a sweeter finish. Add a pinch of fleur de sel to the chocolate glaze for salted chocolate éclairs.
About this recipe
The first time I ate a proper chocolat eclairs was in Paris, I was about seven years old and it was bigger than my hand. My grandfather bought it, wrapped in a small square of wax paper, and I ate the whole thing standing on the pavement because he said it wouldn’t survive the journey home. He was right. A great French éclair is not a travelling dessert. It is a right-here, right-now dessert, eaten the moment it is at its best.
Where éclairs come from
Éclairs appeared in France around the 1850s, though the exact origin is, as with most things in French culinary history, hotly debated. Some credit Antonin Carême, the legendary chef who effectively invented modern French pâtisserie. Others point to the pâtisserie Pons in Lyon. What is certain is that by the late 19th century, French éclairs were firmly established in every serious pâtisserie in the country. Chocolate was the classic flavour from the beginning, though coffee became a close rival shortly after and has never quite given up its position.
The choux pastry that forms the base of these eclairs french pastry dates back even further, possibly as far as the 16th century. It is the same dough used for profiteroles, croquembouche, Paris-Brest, and gougères. Mastering it is one of those kitchen moments that genuinely opens doors: once choux makes sense to you, an entire category of French pâtisserie becomes accessible. It is not as difficult as its reputation suggests, but it does reward attention. The right consistency, the right oven temperature, and the discipline not to open the oven door early. Follow those rules and the rest is straightforward.
The filling and the glaze
Traditional French eclairs were finished with fondant icing, a smooth, pourable sugar glaze that sets with a slight shine. By the mid-20th century, chocolate ganache had become the more common topping, partly because it is more forgiving for home bakers, and partly because it simply tastes better. This recipe uses ganache, because there is no good reason to do otherwise.
The vanilla pastry cream inside is non-negotiable. It is what separates a proper eclair french pastry from anything lesser. Rich, smooth, set just firmly enough to hold its shape when you pipe it in, soft enough to feel like something genuinely indulgent when you bite through. Making it well is the most important step in this whole recipe.
The piping
This is where most home attempts at éclairs go wrong, not the choux, not the cream, but the piping. Uneven pressure produces uneven éclairs that bake inconsistently and look nothing like what you see in a Paris pâtisserie window. A good piping bag with a proper nozzle makes an enormous difference. I use a De Buyer piping bag for both the choux and the pastry cream. De Buyer is a French professional kitchen brand that has been making serious kitchen equipment since 1830, and their piping bags are the kind of thing you buy once and use for years. The control you get when piping chocolat éclairs to an even, consistent length is genuinely noticeable in the finished result.
The finishing touch
The chocolate curls on top are a modern pâtisserie touch rather than a strictly traditional one, but they reflect exactly how French pâtisseries present their éclairs today. In Paris, pâtisseries compete seriously over who makes the longest, most perfectly piped, most inventive versions. The classic chocolate éclair with vanilla pastry cream remains the benchmark everything else is measured against. This is that éclair. Make it once and you will completely understand why.
Share your feedback and spread the love!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Leave a ★★★★★ rating and your thoughts in the comments, it helps fellow French foodies discover this recipe too. Snap a photo and tag me @obviously.french on Instagram if you’re sharing your bake or cooking online. Don’t forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you’ll always have it handy for your next French-inspired meal!
Disclosure: Just so you know, this post contains sponsored content and/or affiliate links, If you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission. Doesn’t cost you anything extra. I only link to things that are actually worth your time. All opinions are my own!
