Heavenly Chocolate Eclairs: Chouxpastry Recipe to Love

Decadent chocolate eclairs with silky smooth best choux pastry chocolate eclairs recipe will make your taste buds dance with pure delight.

These elegant French pastries promise a symphony of textures and flavors.

Crisp pastry shells cradle a luscious cream filling that melts in your mouth.

Each bite delivers a perfect balance of delicate choux and rich chocolate.

The golden-brown exterior hints at the luxurious experience waiting inside.

Skilled bakers and passionate dessert lovers can easily master this classic French treat.

Get ready to impress everyone with these irresistible eclairs that turn an ordinary moment into a gourmet celebration.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 75 minutes

Calories: 330 kcal

Servings: 13

Best Chouxpastry Chocolate Eclairs: Ingredient Checklist

• Butter: Provides rich, tender foundation for pastry with creamy depth.
• Water: Creates steam to help pastry rise and achieve airy texture.
• Flour: Structural element that binds ingredients and creates classic pastry shape.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness.
• Eggs: Adds structure, richness, and helps pastry hold its elegant form.

• Heavy Cream: Creates luxurious, silky smooth filling with cloud-like texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, aromatic undertone to cream.
• Powdered Sugar: Provides gentle sweetness and helps stabilize whipped cream.

• Dark Chocolate: Delivers intense, glossy topping with deep flavor complexity.
• Heavy Cream: Helps create smooth, velvety chocolate coating.
• Corn Syrup: Ensures shiny, professional-looking chocolate finish that won't crack.

Kitchen Tools to Shape the Best Chouxpastry Chocolate Eclairs

• Saucepan: Medium-sized pot for melting butter and creating choux pastry dough.
• Electric mixer: Essential for whipping cream to perfect stiff peaks.
• Piping bag: Crucial for creating uniform eclair shapes with smooth, even edges.
• Parchment paper: Prevents pastry from sticking and ensures easy removal from baking trays.
• Baking trays: Standard sheet pans for baking eclair shells evenly.
• Whisk: Helps blend chocolate glaze and mix ingredients smoothly.
• Spatula: Perfect for folding ingredients and scraping sides of mixing bowls.
• Mixing bowls: Various sizes needed for preparing different recipe components.
• Offset spatula: Helpful for spreading chocolate glaze and cream filling neatly.

Piping and Filling the Best Chouxpastry Chocolate Eclairs

Chocolate Eclair Magic

• Oven Preparation Kitchen Warmup

Position your oven racks strategically across upper and lower levels. Warm the space to a cozy 350°F, creating the perfect environment for pastry transformation.

• Dough Creation CulinaryAlchemy

In a trusty saucepan, let butter and water dance together until they merge. Gently introduce flour, stirring until a smooth, glossy mixture emerges. Allow this delightful concoction to cool and breathe. Softly fold eggs into the mixture, creating a silky, dreamy base.

• Pastry Shaping Artistic Expression

Carefully guide your dough through a piping adventure, crafting elegant strips onto baking surfaces. These will become your golden, crispy vessels of deliciousness.

• Baking Transformation

Slide your trays into the warm oven sanctuary. Watch as your pastry strips gradually transform, releasing steam and developing a gorgeous golden exterior. Patience is your secret ingredient.

• Chocolate Seduction

Create a luxurious chocolate glaze by melting chocolate with warm cream, producing a glossy, irresistible coating that will make taste buds sing.

• Cream Filling Decadence

Whip a luscious cream filling until it reaches cloud-like perfection, ready to cradle inside your golden pastry shells.

• Eclair Assembly Delightful Finale

Dip your pastry tops in rich chocolate, fill with dreamy cream, and crown with the chocolate-kissed tops. Your chocolate eclairs are now ready to enchant.

Tips for Flaky Shells and Rich Chocolate Filling

• Use a star-tipped pastry bag for elegant, professional-looking eclair shapes that catch everyone's eye and create beautiful texture.
• Experiment with different cream fillings like vanilla bean, coffee, raspberry, or salted caramel to transform the classic recipe into a personalized dessert experience.
• Swap dark chocolate for milk or white chocolate, or add a touch of espresso powder, orange zest, or liqueur to elevate the glaze's complexity and depth.
• Prepare choux pastry shells and cream separately up to 24 hours in advance, storing shells at room temperature and cream in the refrigerator to streamline your baking process.
• Ensure crisp eclairs by leaving them in the turned-off oven with the door slightly open after baking, allowing moisture to escape and maintaining a perfect, light crunch.

Serving the Best Chouxpastry Chocolate Eclairs with Flair

• Delightful Chocolate Drizzle Companion: Serve alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for a contrasting cool and creamy experience.
• Elegant Dessert Pairing: Complement these eclairs with a rich espresso or smooth cappuccino to enhance the chocolate's deep flavor profile.
• Coffee Shop Style Presentation: Dust the plate with cocoa powder and arrange eclairs at an angle for a professional, Instagram-worthy dessert display.
• Wine Lover's Indulgence: Pair with a sweet dessert wine like port or moscato to create a luxurious after-dinner treat that balances the chocolate's richness.

Storage Advice for Chouxpastry Chocolate Eclairs That Last

• Fresh Enjoyment Window: Best consumed within 24 hours of preparation for maximum flavor and texture crispness. Delicate pastry maintains optimal quality when eaten shortly after filling.
• Refrigeration Strategy: Store filled eclairs in sealed container at 40°F. Keep away from strong-smelling foods to prevent flavor absorption. Consume within 2-3 days for best taste experience.
• Smart Make-Ahead Approach: Prepare choux pastry shells up to 2 days ahead. Store unfilled shells in airtight container at room temperature. Fill just before serving to maintain crispy texture and prevent sogginess.
• Freezing Technique: Unfilled pastry shells can be frozen for up to 3 weeks. Wrap individually in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature and crisp in oven for 5 minutes before filling for fresh-baked quality.

Sumptuous Chouxpastry Chocolate Eclairs Recipe

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• Total Time: 75 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

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Description

Chocolate eclairs merge French pastry elegance with rich chocolate decadence. Delicate choux pastry shells cradle smooth cream and glossy chocolate glaze, inviting you to savor each luxurious bite.

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Ingredients

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• 4 eggs (large, room temperature)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 100 g (3.5 oz) unsalted butter (cut into cubes)
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1 ⅔ cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 100 g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa, finely chopped)
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 3 ½ tsp corn syrup

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Instructions

1. Preparation: Meticulously organize all equipment and ingredients for a seamless culinary execution.
2. Preheating: Set oven to 350°F, positioning racks across upper and lower thirds for uniform heat distribution.
3. Baking Preparation: Lightly spray baking sheets with neutral cooking spray and line with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
4. Dough Foundation: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter and water, bringing to a gentle simmer, then swiftly introduce flour and salt, stirring vigorously until a cohesive, glossy dough emerges.
5. Dough Conditioning: Allow dough to cool for 10 minutes, stabilizing temperature and preventing egg curdling, then incrementally integrate eggs, creating a smooth, elastic consistency.
6. Piping Technique: Transfer choux pastry to a piping bag with a wide tip, carefully pipe 12-14 cm elongated strips onto prepared trays, maintaining consistent shape and spacing.
7. Baking Process: Place trays in preheated oven, strategically releasing steam at 30, 35, and 40-minute intervals, baking for 45 minutes until achieving a golden, crisp exterior.
8. Chocolate Glaze Preparation: Gently heat cream and corn syrup near boiling point, then pour over high-quality chocolate, stirring methodically to create a glossy, smooth consistency.
9. Cream Filling: Whip cream ingredients until stiff, voluminous peaks form effortlessly.
10. Assembly: Once pastry shells cool completely, slice and prepare for filling, delicately dip tops in chocolate glaze, allowing excess to drip away.
11. Final Composition: Fill éclair bases with whipped cream, ensuring even distribution, then crown with chocolate-glazed tops to create an elegant, decadent dessert.

Notes

• Precise Mise en Place: Organize all ingredients and tools before starting to ensure smooth, stress-free baking and professional results.
• Temperature Control Matters: Allow choux pastry dough to cool slightly before adding eggs to prevent scrambling and maintain a silky, smooth texture.
• Steam Technique Crucial: Release steam during baking to create perfect, crisp pastry shells with ideal inner structure and golden exterior.
• Chocolate Glaze Perfection: Use high-quality chocolate and gentle heating techniques to achieve a glossy, smooth coating that elevates the entire dessert.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 330
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 100 mg
• Fat: 24 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 90 mg