Description
Classic Chocolate Éclairs are a delightful pastry filled with whipped cream and topped with rich chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream (for filling)
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for filling)
- 1 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for ganache)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water and butter, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe 4-inch long strips onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed and golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking.
- Once done, remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
- While the éclairs cool, prepare the filling by whipping the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag.
- For the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour it over the chopped chocolate and butter in a bowl, let it sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.
- Once the éclairs are cool, use a sharp knife to make a small slit in the side of each éclair and pipe the whipped cream filling inside.
- Dip the top of each filled éclair into the chocolate ganache, allowing any excess to drip off. Place the éclairs on a serving platter and let the ganache set for about 15 minutes.
Notes
- For a coffee-flavored filling, add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules to the whipped cream before whipping.
- For a lighter version, use a sugar-free chocolate ganache and a low-fat whipped topping.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 éclair
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Classic Chocolate Éclairs, Éclairs, Chocolate Pastry