Easy Classic Eclairs Recipe

By Rebecca St.Clair

These easy classic eclairs are made of choux pastry puffs, each filled with rich and silky cream and generously layered in rich chocolate.

The light and crisp exterior delicately encases the creamy centre, while the rich, velvety chocolate layer adds the perfect richness. Ideal for special occasions, and get togethers where finger foods and appetizers are served.

What are eclairs

Eclairs are made from pâte à choux, or choux pastry. Choux pastry is cooked on the stove before it is baked in the oven.

A very light and airy pastry, which makes the perfect vessel for filling with things like pastry cream, whipped cream, and custard. This is the same type of pastry that you would use for profiteroles and cream puffs.

Bite-sized ecalirs are easy to pickup and eat with your fingers. A perfect dessert for parties and get togethers to serve alongside appetizers and other finger foods.

Filling Eclairs

Eclairs, are typically filled with whipped cream or pastry cream. However, since eclair pastry is light-as-air with a lot of hollow space inside, you could really fill them with anything, like chocolate mousse, ice cream, or lemon curd.

Even savoury fillings are delicious in this versatile choux pastry. Garlic and herb cheese, bruschetta, vegetable, and meat fillings are all great choices for fillings.

To fill eclairs with a soft creamy mixture, like the classic whipped cream, it is best to use a piping bag. If you don’t have one, make a simple homemade piping bag with a plastic sandwich bag. Cut a small hole at the corner, to extrude the filling.

To fill eclair pastry with a chunky mixture like bruschetta or chicken, cut the top third of the pastry off and fill the inside with the mixture. Then, reapply the top.

How to Store Eclairs

Room Temperature

Store unfilled eclairs, in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator

Store leftover filled eclairs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For eclairs filled with pastry cream or other perishable fillings, consume within 3 days.

The filling can become watery and the pastry will become soggy, if stored longer.

Freezer

Freeze eclairs in a single layer, on a baking sheet, for 1-2 hours. Then, transfer to an airtight container. This will allow the filling to harden. This way, when you are stacking them to place in the freezer, the soft filling will not ooze out.

Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to serve them, defrost in the refrigerator 24 hours.

Making Eclairs in advance

To make eclairs in advance, it is best to store the filling and the eclairs pastries separately. Storing prefilled eclairs in the refrigerator will result in a cold, soft pastry, instead of the light crisp crust from a fresh eclair, or one stored unfilled at room temperature.

Store unfilled eclairs in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 2 days.

How to make Easy Classic Eclairs

Ingredients

¾ cup milk 175 ml

¾ cup water 175 ml

⅔ cup softened butter 150 g

1 Tablespoon sugar 12 g

½ teaspoon salt 2 g

1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 250 g

5 eggs

Filling

1 ½ cup 35% cream 375 ml

3 Tablespoons icing sugar 45 ml

1 teaspoon vanilla 5 ml

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 175 g

or 1 recipe for pastry cream

Method

1. In a medium sauce pot, over medium-high heat, add the milk, water, butter, sugar, and salt.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in the flour.
4. Stir it with a strong wooden spoon, until the flour is incorporated and is a smooth soft dough ball that cleans the sides of the pot.

5. Using a stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with beaters, place the dough into the bowl and mix on medium for about a minutes to cool down the dough enough to add in the eggs.

6. With the mixer still going, add in the eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition to incorporate the eggs.

7. Transfer this mixture to a very large piping bag with a large circular tip. Or you can use a large freezer bag and cut a small hole in one corner to make a DIY piping bag.

8. Pipe about a line of dough slightly smaller than you would like the eclairs onto a lined baking sheet, about 1 ½ inches apart.

9. Dip your finger into a small glass of water and smooth down any points at the end of the dough that were left from the piping bag.

10. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

11. Bake the eclairs for 10 minutes at the high temperature to give them a big burst of heat, which will help them puff up.

12. Reduce the temperature to 375 °F (190 °C) and continue to bake for 15 minutes, or until the eclairs are golden brown and feel very light and airy. (If the eclairs are not baked long enough, they will collapse as they cool.)

13. Cool completely before filling.

Filling and assembly

For Whipped cream

1. Whip the 35% cream until thick and light.
2. Add in the icing sugar and vanilla and whip until the cream holds a stiff peak.
3. Place it in a pastry bag with a small tip or a sandwich bag with a small hole cut in the corner.
4. Either slice the top 3rd of the eclair pastry and pipe the cream into the bottom half of the pastry, or poke three holes in the top of the pastry with a skewer. Place the tip of the pastry bag through each hole and pipe full of cream. (I prefer this method)
5. Continue with the rest of the eclairs.
6. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler, in short burst in the microwave, or use a small crockpot.
7. Dip the top of each eclair into the chocolate and set aside for the chocolate to cool and set.

Alternatively you can fill the eclairs with pastry cream or filling of choice.

Hungry for more delicious party and finger foods? These are some of my favourites!

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