Heavenly Chocolate Éclairs
I love chocolate éclairs, be it with the traditional custard filing, ice cream or my families version with whipped cream. I find it quite easy to substitute éclairs for any meal, and just between you and me, that meal is often breakfast.
According to Wikipedia the éclair most likely originated in France during the nineteenth century, allegedly created by Antonin Carême, the famous French chef (and genius in my mind).
For me, chocolate éclairs say party-time, partly because I only ever indulge at celebrations, but also because they are a celebration as you bite through the delicious layers of heavenly light pastry, luscious cream and chocolate.
Despite looking complex, making decadent chocolate éclairs is easier than it first appears. The choux pastry is quick and uncomplicated, much easier than making other pastries (i.e. short crust pastry). I’d love you to give his recipe a try, you won’t be disappointed, neither will your family and friends!
It’s important to note that the chocolate topping recipe here has been adapted from Gourmet Traveller’s chocolate éclair recipe.
Making chocolate éclairs
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Recipe
Makes 30 mini éclairs
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
1 cup (250ml) water
1/2 cup (125g) unsalted butter, chopped
1 cup (150g) plain flour, sifted
Pinch of sea salt
4 free-range or organic eggs, room temperature
Cream filling
1 1/4 cups (300ml) thickened cream
2-3 tablespoons caster or icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (optional)
Chocolate topping
1/4 cup (60ml) thickened cream
200g dark chocolate (40% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Method
1) Preheat oven to 190°C and line 2-3 trays with baking paper. Bring water and butter to the boil (over medium-high heat), ensuring butter is melted. Add all the flour and salt at once, beat vigorously with a wooden spoon to incorporate and continue beating until mixture leaves the sides of the pan (about 1 minute). Remove from heat and set aside for 5-10 minutes to cool.
2) Add eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously to incorporate after each addition until well combined.
3) Spoon choux pastry into pipping bag fitted with 2cm plain nozzle. Pipe into 6cm lengths (12cm for larger éclairs) and 4cm apart. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 150°C and bake for a further 15 minutes. Remove from oven and prick pastries with a skewer or tip of a small knife and bake for further 5 minutes. Transfer the éclairs to a wire rack to cool at room temperature, then halve lengthways using a bread knife and set aside.
Note: If you don’t have a piping bag use two spoons to form rustic pastry mounds.
4) Meanwhile whisk cream, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste (if using) until soft peaks form (3-5 minutes), refrigerate until required.
5) For chocolate topping, combine cream and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until chocolate melts and mixture combines. Stir in vegetable oil and keep warm.
6) Remove cream from fridge and spoon into piping bag filled with 2cm nozzle and pipe into eclair halves, then dip pastry top into chocolate and place over cream. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.
Tips:
– The pastry can be used straight away or left to rest for up to 40 minutes, covered with plastic wrap.
– Do not open the oven during cooking or the pastry will collapse.
– Éclairs will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
– Cooked choux pastry (not filled) stores well in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
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Filed under Dairy and Cheese, Desserts, French, Pastry, Spring, Summer, Sweets, Vegetarian
are preserved and enjoyed
lexi
These were so easy to make and turned out fantastically! Thanks for such a great recipe!
anonymous
i like the way you piped the choux dough!! may i know how you did it, with details??? thanks!=)
Lisa
I have now used this recipe about 4 times and each time the eclairs have turned out perfect. Didn’t realise they could be this easy. Family is very happy!
VillageCook
I’m glad you agree that eclairs are easy to make!! Also happy to hear you have some satisfied tummies in your family ;)
Happy feasting xx
ingrid
Please help me! What am I doing wrong?? My pastries come out rock hard – like it’s been in the oven way 2 long, but its on the right temp… Any idea why this is happening? Really don’t know what I’m doing wrong :(
Village Feast
Hi Ingrid. Did you prick the base of each eclair for the last 5 mins of baking so that the steam escapes?? Also, there may be no need to be alarmed as once baked the pastries should be light and hollow on the inside but hard on the outside, this is why I suggest using a bread knife to cut in half. Once filled with cream and topped with chocolate they will soften ;)
Loretta's Kitchen
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It looks so good I’m going to share it on my facebook page (Loretta’s Kitchen) – creating a link your blog of course. Once again thanks for sharing :-)
Suzan
Hi. I used this recipe the first time about 2 years who and the pastry turned out amazing! I made it again last week, and I don’t know why, but they smell eggy and when I cut them in half, none of them were cooked inside. They were eggy. I made another batch, and same thing :( help. Do you think I should reduce to 3 eggs?
And I did wait for mixture to cool before adding eggs