Have you ever been disappointed with your attempts at making chocolate eclairs? Maybe they turned out flat, soggy, or had cracks down the middle? Well, don’t worry because I’m here to help you make the perfect classic chocolate eclairs!

I’ve received many requests from readers asking for a dedicated post on classic eclairs, and today I’m going to deliver. But before we get started, I recommend you read my choux pastry troubleshooting recipe post for a detailed guide on making perfect choux pastry. It will help you troubleshoot any issues you may encounter while making eclairs or any other choux pastry desserts.

Ingredients

For the Choux Pastry:

• 250 ml (1 cup + 2 tsp) water
• 70 grams (5 tbsp) butter
• 150 grams (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the Pastry Cream:

• 350 ml (1 1/2 cup) cold milk
• 30 grams (3 3/4 tbsp) corn starch
• 100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
• 75 grams (1/3 cup) room temperature butter
• 200 ml (3/4 cups + 2 tbsp) cold heavy whipping cream

Let’s Get Started!

Prepare the Choux Batter:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
2. In a medium non-stick pot, bring water and salt to a boil.
3. Add butter and bring to a boil again.
4. Add flour and whisk vigorously until the batter thickens and there are no lumps, about 1 minute.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and let the batter cool for 5 minutes.
6. Whisk in the first egg and mix with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated into the batter, ensuring there are no white lumps.
7. Continue whisking in the remaining eggs, one at a time.
8. Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (I recommend Wilton #1A), pipe fat lengths of dough (about ¾ – 1 inch thick and 4 inches long) onto the lined baking sheet, leaving 1 inch of space between them.
9. Bake for 15 minutes.
10. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 340°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the eclairs are light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Prepare the Pastry Cream:

1. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in 3-4 tablespoons of milk.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining milk until it simmers. Add 50 grams (1/4 cup) of sugar and stir until dissolved.
3. When the milk starts to boil, add the dissolved cornstarch and whisk until no lumps remain. Remove from heat and cool until slightly warm or completely cold.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter with the remaining 50 grams (1/4 cup) of sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture turns almost white.
5. Combine the whipped butter with the milk and cornstarch mixture. Mix well and set aside.
6. In another large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form.
7. Fold the whipped cream into the butter and milk cream.
8. Using the tip of a small knife, cut 3 small Xs along the top of each pastry.
9. Using a small tip (I recommend Wilton tip #32), pipe the pastry cream into the shells through each opening.

Now you have perfectly crisp, puffy chocolate eclairs filled with delicious chocolate or vanilla pastry cream. Enjoy your homemade classic eclairs, and impress your family and friends with your baking skills!

Remember, practice makes perfect, so don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t flawless. With these foolproof steps, you’ll soon master the art of making classic chocolate eclairs. Happy baking!