French Éclairs with Vanilla Pastry Cream
Treat yourself to these French Éclairs with Vanilla Pastry Cream, a classic bakery-style dessert that’s elegant, rich, and absolutely irresistible. Made with light and airy choux pastry, filled with silky smooth vanilla pastry cream, and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze, these homemade éclairs are perfect for special occasions or indulgent sweet cravings.
Ingredients
- For Choux Pastry
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- For Vanilla Pastry Cream
- 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean)
- For Chocolate Glaze
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 4 oz (115 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for shine)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil.
- Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until dough forms and pulls away from sides.
- Transfer dough to a bowl; cool slightly.
- Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
- Pipe dough into 4-inch logs onto baking sheet.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until puffed and golden; cool completely.
- Prepare pastry cream by heating milk and vanilla.
- Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch; temper with hot milk.
- Cook until thick; stir in butter and cool.
- Fill éclairs with pastry cream.
- Dip tops into chocolate glaze; allow to set.