Intense Chocolate Eclair

Join me as I guide you through the secrets of creating this iconic treat that has been delighting taste buds for generations. Imagine sinking your teeth into a light and fluffy pastry shell filled with a decadent chocolate cream and topped with a glossy chocolate glaze. This intense chocolate eclair is a true masterpiece of textures and flavors, striking the perfect balance between sweetness and richness. In this recipe, we will explore the art of making choux pastry, a delicate and airy dough that forms the base of the eclair. We will then dive into the process of preparing a luscious chocolate filling. But the real magic happens when we finish off our eclairs with a shiny chocolate glaze, adding a luxurious touch to these already irresistible pastries. With just a few simple ingredients - flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and chocolate - we will create a dessert that is sure to impress even the most discerning palates.

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This intense chocolate eclair is a true masterpiece of textures and flavors...

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Pate A Choux

Sift flour and cocoa powder together; set aside. Meanwhile, bring water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in the sifted powders. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture pulls away from sides and a film forms on bottom of pan, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium; add half of the beaten eggs, and mix until incorporated. Add remaining eggs until a soft peak forms when batter is touched with your finger.

Piping Eclair

Pipe out 4½ 19-inch/48cm long eclair log using an open French tip #869. Freeze pate a choux for a couple of hours to harden before cutting into serving portions.

Cutting Eclair

Cut each pate a choux log into 4 eclairs. At this juncture, ready to bake eclairs can be stored in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 6 months.

Baking Eclairs

Preheat fan oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Arrange and space out frozen eclairs on trays (about 12 per tray). With a sieve, dust eclairs with powdered sugar generously. Bake the still frozen eclairs for about 35 minutes. Turn the oven off. Leave the oven door slightly ajar (use the handle of your wooden spoon to hold it). Leave eclairs in the oven for 10 minutes more – this step allows the remaining steam to escape without deflating the puffy cakes. Let cool. At this juncture, baked pate a choux can be kept frozen for up to 2 months.

Chocolate Crémeux

Melt chocolate, though it does not have to be completely melted. Meanwhile, heat up milk, heavy cream and sugar to 122ºF/50ºC. Add egg yolks and blend with an immersion blender, cook creme Anglaise to 185ºF/85ºC. Sieve over chocolate, and blend well. Chill overnight prior using.

Chocolate Mirror Glaze

Make a day ahead. Soak gelatin in cold water to soften, and drain. In a small saucepan, bring to boil water and sugar for 2 minutes. Add cocoa powder, and hot heavy cream, and mix. Bring to a quick boil; remove from the heat, and transfer into a clean container. Add gelatin and blend well keeping the nozzle down. Tap over the counter to remove excess air bubbles and sieve. Chill overnight.

Filling Eclairs

With a narrow pastry tip, make 3 small holes underneath each eclair, or slice tops off. Stuff generously each eclair with the chocolate cremeux. Scrap out any excess filling that would leak out. At this juncture, filled eclairs can be kept frozen for up to 2 months.

Steps to Glaze Eclairs

Place your filled eclairs on a tray and freeze for 2 hours. This helps the filling firm up and prevents it from oozing during glazing. Warm your glaze to 86ºF/30-32ºC. Hold a frozen eclair at an angle and dip the top third into the glaze. Lift and let excess glaze drip off for a few seconds. Flip the eclair (glazed side up) and place it on a parchment-lined tray. Sprinkle some cocoa nibs and cracked chocolate decors if desired.