Chocolate Eclair

Chocolate éclairs are a classic of French patisserie, known and appreciated all over the world. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

For the choux pastry:

• 125 ml of water
• 125 ml of milk
• 100 g of butter
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 pinch of salt
• 150 g of flour
• 4 medium eggs

For the chocolate custard cream:

• 500 ml of milk
• 100 g of sugar
• 40 g of corn starch (cornflour)
• 4 egg yolks
• 150 g of dark chocolate, chopped or in flakes

For the chocolate glaze:

• 100 g of dark chocolate
• 40 g of butter
• 1 tablespoon of glucose syrup or honey

Preparation

Choux pastry:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a pot, bring water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil.
3. Remove the pot from heat and add all the flour at once, mixing vigorously with a wooden spoon.
4. Put the pot back on the heat and continue stirring until the dough comes away from the sides.
5. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.
6. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating completely before adding the next.
7. Transfer the dough into a piping bag with a smooth nozzle and pipe strips about 10-12 cm long onto baking trays lined with parchment paper.
8. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden, then let cool.

Chocolate custard cream:

1. In a small pot, heat the milk until it is warm but not boiling.
2. In a bowl, whisk the yolks with the sugar until they become light and fluffy, then add starch and mix until smooth.
3. Temper the egg mixture by slowly pouring in a small amount of hot milk, stirring constantly.
4. Pour the egg and milk mixture into the small pot with the remaining milk and cook on medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the cream thickens.
5. Remove from heat and add the dark chocolate, stirring until it completely melts into the cream. Let cool, covering with cling film in contact.

Chocolate glaze:

1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and mix with the butter and glucose syrup until smooth.

Assembly of the éclairs:

1. Make small holes in the bottom of the cooled éclairs.
2. Fill the éclairs with chocolate custard cream using a piping bag.
3. Cover the éclairs with chocolate glaze.
4. Let the glaze set before serving.

Enjoy your meal!

Curiosity

The éclair, which means “flashes” in French, gets its name from its elongated shape and the speed at which they tend to “disappear” from the table, given their deliciousness! The Italian touch could be the use of superior quality chocolate, like 70% dark chocolate produced in Italy, or the addition of an Italian liquor to the cream dough, such as Amaretto or Marsala.