Eclair Recipe

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Do you like eclairs? Homemade eclairs with choux pastry and vanilla cream filling are beyond delicious and easy to make. This eclair recipe is what you need, even if you are not a pro.ย 

Eclairs are dusted with the powdered sugar and cut in half.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients

Labeled ingredients on the table.
Labeled ingredients on the table.
  • Egg: Use egg yolks and whole eggs.
  • Sugar: White granulated sugar.
  • Milk: Use yoru favorite brand.
  • Corn Starch: Do not substitute this ingredient.
  • Butter: Use unsalted butter.
  • Flour: All-purpose flour.
  • Salt: Pinch of salt used for taste.
  • Vanilla: Use vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract.

How to Make Cream Patissiere (Vanilla Pastry cream)

Saucepan with milk and small bowl with egg yolks.

Scrape vanilla bean seeds and add to milk. In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla bean to a boil.ย In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt.ย 

Saucepan with the cream and whisk.

Gradually, while whisking constantly, add hot milk. When all is incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan.

Mixing bowl with cream and stick of butter on the table.

Continue whisking, and cook until the mixture is thick and has a pudding-like consistency.ย Transfer cream to a medium bowl. Cut butter into pieces and whisk into the cream.

Mixing bowl with the cream  covered with the plastic wrap.

Cover with plastic wrap โ€œto contactโ€ and let it cool in the refrigerator.ย 

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How to Make Choux Pastry

Saucepan with molk and butter.

In a medium saucepan, combine, milk, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and add flour all at once.ย 

Saucepan with the dough.

When flour is all incorporated, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. The dough should come together into a smooth ball.

Mixing bowl with the dough.

Transfer to a mixing bowl with a hand attachment and beat for about one minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat until dough is smooth.

Eclairs piped on the baking mat.

ย Transfer dough into a piping bag with Wilton 4B piping tip. Pipe eclairs over a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or Silikomart air mat. Eclairs are about 4โ€ long and ยพโ€™โ€™wide strips.

Bake eclair at 400ยฐF for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325ยฐF and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.ย 

How to Assemble Eclair

Transfer Cream Patissiere into pipping bag with round tip (Wilton 8 or 10).

Eclair cut with the small holes.

Option #1. With a round pastry tip, poke 2-3 holes at the bottom of each eclair and fill each hole with cream Patissiere.ย 

Eclair cut in half.

Option #2. Cut each eclair in half and fill both halves with generous cream Patissiere. Then sandwich the two together.

ย 

Eclair cut on the side.

Option #3. Make a cut on one side of the eclair and fill with cream. The traditional eclair recipe uses chocolate glaze on top. I do not do that. I think vanilla cream Patissiere is very delicious, and I like to taste just it.ย 

Expert Tips

  • Dust eclairs with powdered sugar to avoid cracks. 
  • Use a wooden spoon to make Choux Pastry. 
  • Do not open the oven door first 20-30 minutes under any circumstances or eclairs will deflate. 
  • I like to dust eclairs with powdered sugar before serving.
An eclair cut in half with cream inside.

Recipe FAQs

How to store Eclairs?

Eclairs are best eaten the day they are made, or 1 day after. They need to be stored in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze Eclairs?

Unfortunately, eclairs with this cream do not freeze well. The corn starch will break down during freezing/thawing and the custard will separate. But you can keep eclairs without filling in the freezer in an air-tight container for a few months.ย 

Eclairs dusted with powdered sugar on the table.

If you make this Eclair Recipe, please tag me on social media and make sure to leave a rating down below. I would love to see your creations!

Recipe

Eclairs are dusted with the powdered sugar and cut in half.

Eclair Recipe

Marina Voronkov
Homemade eclairs with choux pastry and vanilla cream filling. This eclair recipe is what you need, even if you are not a pro.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine French
Servings 24 eclair
Calories 134 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 stand mixer or electric hand mixer
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

Cream Patissiere (Vanilla Pastry Cream)ย 

  • 5 egg yolks
  • 100 gr (ยฝ cup) granulated sugar
  • 450 ml (2 cups) milk
  • 40 gr (4 Tablespoon) corn starchย 
  • 57 gr (4 Tablespoon) unsalted butter
  • 1 gr pinch of salt
  • 1 gr 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Choux Pastry

  • 113 gr (1 stick or 8 tablespoon) unsalted butter
  • 5 eggs
  • 185 ml (3/4 cup) milkย 
  • 120 gr (1 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 5 gr (1 teaspoon) granulated sugar

Instructions
 

How to Make Cream Patissiere (Vanilla Pastry cream)ย 

  • Scrape vanilla bean seeds and add to milk (or use vanilla paste).
  • In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla bean to a boil.ย 
  • In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, corn starch, and a pinch of salt.ย 
  • Gradually, while whisking constantly, add hot milk. When all is incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Continue whisking, and cook until the mixture is thick and pudding-like consistency.
  • Transfer cream to a medium bowl. Cut butter into pieces and whisk into the cream.
  • Cover with plastic wrap โ€œto contactโ€ and let cool in the refrigerator.ย 

How to Make Choux Pastry

  • Preheat oven to 400ยฐF.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt.ย 
  • Bring to a boil and add flour all at once.ย 
  • When flour is all incorporated, cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. The dough should come together into a smooth ball.ย 
  • Transfer to a mixing bowl with a hand attachment and beat for about one minute to cool the mixture slightly. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat until dough is smooth.ย 
  • Transfer dough into a pipping bag with Wilton 4B tip.ย 
  • Pipe eclairs over a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or air mat. Eclairs are about 4โ€ long and ยพโ€™โ€™wide strips.
  • Bake at 400ยฐF for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350ยฐF and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.ย 

Notes

Do not open the oven door first 20-30 minutes under any circumstances or eclairs will deflate.ย 

Nutrition

Serving: 1eclairCalories: 134kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 71mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 325IUCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @everything_marina or tag #everythingmarina!

2 Comments

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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