The Perfect Eclair Recipe Foolproof

CLASSIC ECLAIRS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan bring to boil, water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar.
• Once butter is melted, reduce heat to low, add flour, and stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes. This helps remove extra moisture and gives the flour time to cook.
• Remove from heat. Let cool to 125-135 degrees (hot to the touch but not burning).
• Add eggs, one at a time. Incorporate completely before adding the next egg. Add 5 eggs until the mixture turns into a soft paste that will still hold its shape.
• Using a plastic piping coupler or piping tip of your choice (large opening) and Ziploc bag, immediately pipe paste in the desired size (small- 2-3 inch, medium 4-5 inch, large 5-6 inch, cream puffs- round balls). Bake time will vary depending on size.
• For large eclairs, bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce the heat to 375 for 12-20 minutes or until the shell is golden brown and hollow inside. See notes for additional bake times.
• Cool completely.
• Whisk pudding mix and milk together. Mix 2-3 minutes. Set in fridge until ready to use.
• In a large mixing bowl, whip cream to soft peaks, add powdered sugar. Whip to stiff peaks. Don't over whip or you'll end up with butter.
• Remove pudding from fridge. Stir until smooth. Fold in whipped cream.
• Using a bag with round piping tip, carefully insert tip into cooled shell. Fill slowly until shell is full. You may need to fill from both sides to fill entire shell.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, add cream and chocolate chips. Heat 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until melted. Usually only takes 30 seconds to 1 minutes. Don't over heat.
• Stir chocolate mixture until cream is fully incorporated into chocolate. Mixture will look rich, smooth and chocolatey when done (1-3 minutes).
• Dip top of each filled eclair into chocolate ganache. Let ganache cool. Store in fridge or freeze for later.

THE PERFECT ECLAIR RECIPE (FOOLPROOF)

Steps:

• Sift flour then measure and set aside
• Place butter, water, milk, salt, and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat
• As soon as the mixture starts to boil remove from heat, add the flour in one go, and whisk vigorously with a Rubber spatula until it forms one smooth ball and flour bits are not visible
• Place the saucepan back to the stove and cook the dough for 3-5 min over medium heat mixing constantly. During this time water will evaporates from the dough and there should be a thin skin formed on the bottom up the saucepan
• Transfer the dough into the bowl of your Stand mixer and start whisking on low seead for a minute for the dough to cool a bit (use the paddle attachement)
• Start adding lightly whisked eggs onto the dough while the mixer is on. Only add a small amount of egg at a time and let the mixer incorporate the egg before adding in more. The dough will come together and should reach a glossy, pipeable consistency.
• The dough is ready when it slowly falls down from the paddle attachment in a V shape. Slowly is key here, it should not be too runny. Depending on how much you dried the dough at the previous cooking stage and the flour you use, the exact quantity of egg will need somewhat your judgement
• Move the dough into a pastry bag fitted with French star nozzle tip (0.5cm / 1.3cm in diameter) and rest the dough in the fridge for 1-2 hours
• Once the dough is rested, with the help of the French star nozzle tip pipe 14 equal size eclairs on Perforated "air" baking mat leaving enough space in between them as they will puff.
• Alternatively, cover a baking sheet with parchment paper, and pipe the choux dough onto the paper.
• Dust the piped dough with icing sugar, that also helps to avoid cracks. Place the tray into the freezer for 30 min at least before baking you can also freeze the dough at this point for a longer time
• Pre-heat oven to 200 C / 392 F (no fan)
• Lower oven temperature to 170 C / 338 F (no fan) and bake the eclairs for 40 min. Do not open the oven door in the first 30 min. If you are baking it the first time it is a good idea to take one eclair out of the oven at 40 min and check its consistency. If it is golden in colour, nicely puffed up, does not deflate on room temperature and the middle of the eclair is not raw (it is ok if it's a bit wet, it will dry while cooling down) then it is considered to be done
• Cool the eclairs on the perforated air mat
• Fill with chocolate or vanilla bean pastry cream. Use my recipes in here

ECLAIRS II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts completely. Reduce heat to low, and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously until mixture leaves the sides of the pan and begins to form a stiff ball. Remove from heat. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate completely after each addition. With a spoon or a pastry bag fitted with a No. 10, or larger, tip, spoon or pipe dough onto cookie sheet in 1 1/2 x 4 inch strips.
• Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and bake 20 minutes more, until hollow sounding when lightly tapped on the bottom. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the filling, combine pudding mix and milk in medium bowl according to package directions. In a separate bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold whipped cream into pudding. Cut tops off of cooled pastry shells with a sharp knife. Fill shells with pudding mixture and replace tops.
• For the icing, melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until icing is smooth and has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drizzle over filled eclairs. Refrigerate until serving.

ECLAIRS

Steps:

• First, make the choux pastry. Put the butter in a saucepan with 450ml water. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and set aside. Bring the butter and water to a fast boil, simmer until the butter has melted, then tip in the flour and beat like mad with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and is lump-free. Tip into the bowl and spread the thick paste up the sides a little to help it cool quickly, then leave for 10 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and cut two pieces of baking parchment to fit two baking sheets. Using a ruler and pen, mark 10 lines about 12cm long over each piece, leaving plenty of space between the lines, then flip the parchment over. Fit a piping bag with a large round piping nozzle, about 1.5cm wide.
• When the flour paste has cooled but is not cold, start adding the egg, bit by bit, beating well between each addition until you have a smooth batter which will reluctantly drop off the end of your spoon (you can do this in a freestanding mixer if you have one). You may not need to use all the egg, so add it slowly. Transfer to your piping bag and use a little of the mixture to stick the parchment to your trays.
• Pipe the choux onto the baking sheet, using the lines as a guide. Pipe slowly so the eclairs aren't too skinny - each one should be about 2.5cm wide x 12cm long. Bake for 35-40 mins, swapping the trays around for the final 10 mins. The choux should be puffed, golden and sound hollow when tapped. You may wish to sacrifice one eclair to make sure the inside is completely dried out - if it's still moist, the eclair will sink when cooling. Once baked, leave to cool completely. (Can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container, reheat in the oven for 5-10 mins to crisp up before filling.) Split each eclair through the middle with a serrated knife.
• Now, make the crème pâtissière. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, tip the egg yolks into a bowl and add the sugar and cornflour, whisking together until smooth. Pour over the milk mixture, mix, then pour back into the saucepan. Cook over a medium heat for 5-8 mins until the crème pâtissière thickens to a thick custard consistency. Sieve into a jug, cover the surface with cling film and chill for at least 3 hrs, or up to 3 days.
• To fill and glaze your eclairs, choose one of our flavours - raspberry & cardamom, lemon & passion fruit, salted caramel & popcorn or elderflower & meringue.For more help, see our how to make choux pastry and eclairs video.