Eclairs Recipe

Prepare oven and piping

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a plain 1/2-inch (12–13 mm) round tip or cut the tip for a similar opening.

Make the dough: In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cut into pieces), 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, stirring so butter melts and mixture is homogeneous.

Add flour all at once: Remove pan from heat and immediately add 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms and pulls away from the pan, about 30 seconds.

Dry the dough: Return pan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to evaporate some moisture; the dough should form a film on the bottom of the pan when stirred.

Cool slightly then beat in eggs: Transfer the dough to a bowl or keep in the pan off heat to cool for 2–3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (use a wooden spoon or stand mixer with paddle). After the 1st–2nd egg the dough will loosen; after the final egg it should be smooth, glossy and drop slowly from the spoon in a thick ribbon. You may not need all 4 eggs or you may need the last portion only; use as needed to achieve consistency.

Pipe éclairs: Transfer dough to the prepared pastry bag. Pipe 4–5 inch (10–12 cm) long strips about 1 to 1¼ inch (2.5–3 cm) wide on the parchment, leaving 2 inches between each. For uniform size, use a ruler under the parchment or mark guide lines lightly.

Smooth peaks and egg wash (optional): If the tips are pointy, wet your finger and gently smooth them. If you want a deep brown finish, brush lightly with a beaten egg or egg wash.

Bake: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 20–25 minutes until deeply golden and puffed. Do not open the oven during baking.

Dry shells: Turn off oven, crack oven door slightly and leave éclairs inside to dry for 10 minutes to prevent collapse. Remove to a rack and cool completely before filling.

Infuse milk: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk and the seeds and pod of 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract added later). Heat over medium until just to a simmer; do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes if using vanilla bean, then remove pod.

Whisk yolks and sugar: In a bowl, whisk together 4 large egg yolks and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Whisk in 1/4 cup cornstarch until smooth and no lumps remain.

Temper and cook: Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Return to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens to a pudding-like consistency (about 1–2 minutes after boiling). Keep whisking to avoid lumps and scorching.

Finish pastry cream: Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter until melted and incorporated. If using vanilla extract, stir it in now. Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin, and chill until fully cold, at least 2 hours.

Whip before use (optional): For a lighter filling, you can fold a few tablespoons of softly whipped cream into the chilled pastry cream just before filling. This is optional and will alter texture.

Heat cream: Place 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer. Remove from heat.

Make ganache: Pour the hot cream over 6 oz finely chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir gently until smooth and glossy. Stir in 1 teaspoon light corn syrup if using for extra shine. Let cool slightly until pourable but not hot (warm).

Prepare shells for filling: Using a small sharp knife, make two small holes in the bottom of each cooled éclair (one near each end) OR slice each éclair horizontally with a serrated knife to create a top and bottom.

Fill pastry bag: Transfer chilled pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a small plain tip (or leave the bag without a tip). If you sliced the shells, you can spoon or pipe the cream onto the bottom half.

Fill éclairs: Insert the tip into each hole and pipe until the shell feels slightly heavy or you see cream at the holes. For sliced shells, pipe a generous ribbon of cream onto the bottom half and replace the top.

Glaze: Dip the top of each filled éclair into the warm chocolate glaze, letting excess drip off, or spoon the glaze over the top for even coverage. Place on a rack to allow excess to drip back into a tray or plate beneath.

Set and finish: Let the glaze set at room temperature for 10–20 minutes, or chill briefly to speed setting. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired just before serving.

Serve: Éclairs are best eaten within 24 hours of filling. Store refrigerated in an airtight container if not serving immediately; bring to near room temperature for best flavor (15–20 minutes) before serving.