Double Chocolate Éclairs
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Éclairs made with choux pastry baked until golden and dry inside. Filled with a pastry cream blending white chocolate and a hint of orange zest. Topped with dark chocolate ganache infused with espresso. Water, butter, flour adjusted for a firmer dough. Eggs reduced slightly for easier piping. Baking times altered to ensure crispness. Pastry cream thickened with cornstarch replacing some flour, vanilla complemented by orange zest. Dark chocolate ganache includes espresso powder for depth. A refined take on a classic with cocoa intensity and subtle citrus notes.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#French
#desserts
#chocolate
#baking
Choux dough, a sticky bubble, water boiled with butter, flour stirred in fast till it clumps and pulls free. Dry it a little. Eggs trickle in—can’t rush this part—dough thick, shiny, pipe-ready. Eight little logs, uniform. Oven heat crinkles them golden, puffy but hollow inside. Piercing to let escape steam, then back in to dry out the crumb. Cream made differently: sugar swapped for cornstarch to thicken. Hot milk blends in, white chocolate melts slowly, a twist of orange peel for zing. Dark chocolate mix with a shot of espresso powder. Pour over tops, fridge to wait. The crunch, the soft chew, the swirl of citrus and intense chocolate. A classic flipped.
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 115 ml (slightly less than 1/2 cup) water
- 50 g (about 3 tbsp 1 tsp) unsalted butter
- 65 g (heaping 1/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 3/4 eggs (lightly beaten, about 85 g)
Pastry Cream
- 50 g (1/4 cup minus 1 tbsp) sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 250 ml (1 cup) hot milk
- 100 g white chocolate, chopped
- Peel of 1/2 small orange, finely grated
Ganache Topping
- 85 g dark chocolate, melted
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
About the ingredients
Water reduced slightly to firm dough, butter trimmed to keep richness balanced but avoid sogginess. Flour replaced partly by cornstarch in cream for tighter set and less grainy texture. Eggs decreased a bit so dough isn’t too runny, ensuring shape holds during baking. White chocolate chopped finer to melt quickly in cream with orange zest added, a fresh aromatic lift cutting through sweetness. Dark chocolate ganache enriched with espresso powder—instant, finely ground—adds bitterness without caffeine overload, deepening flavor. Combining these tweaks refines texture and flavor contrast. Keep ingredients cold for cream, precise measurements vital for dough consistency. Use quality chocolates; the difference shows. Parchment for baking, avoid wax paper—choux sticks easily.
Method
Choux Pastry
- Preheat oven to 185°C (365°F). Middle rack. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Combine water and butter in saucepan. Heat till boiling, then remove from heat.
- Add all flour at once. Stir vigorously with wooden spoon until dough pulls away from pan, forming a ball.
- Return pan to moderate heat. Stir dough for 4 minutes to dry it out slightly. Dough should thicken and form a skin on the bottom.
- Transfer dough to mixing bowl or stand mixer. Let cool 5 minutes.
- Add eggs gradually, about a tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Dough will be thick and shiny, pipeable but firm.
- Fit a large plain tip into piping bag. Pipe 8 éclairs, each about 7.5 cm (3 in) long, spaced apart.
- Bake 25-28 minutes until gold and puffed. Pierce each éclair lengthwise immediately after removing from oven to release steam.
- Return to oven for 4-7 minutes to dry interior further. Cool on wire rack.
Pastry Cream
- Whisk sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan off heat.
- Add eggs and vanilla, combine well.
- Slowly pour in hot milk while whisking constantly. Stir in white chocolate and orange zest.
- Heat over low heat, whisking continuously. Scrape sides and bottom until thick, about 5-6 minutes.
- Transfer to bowl; cover surface directly with plastic wrap to avoid skin. Chill until fully cold.
Assembly
- Transfer pastry cream to piping bag fitted with plain tip.
- Fill each éclair by inserting tip inside and squeezing gently.
- Mix melted dark chocolate with espresso powder. Spoon over tops of éclairs.
- Refrigerate until serving. Best eaten within a day.
Cooking tips
Start choux with boiling water and butter, remove immediately before flour. Stir vigorously with wooden spoon, no rest. Return to stove briefly to dry by stirring—feel dough shift in pan. Cool a bit before adding eggs slowly; patience with eggs key. Use piping bag for uniformity. Bake just shy of golden at about 185°C, pierce instantly after baking to prevent soggy insides, return to oven to dry for 4-7 minutes, not more—cracks are enemy. Cream: dry mix off heat, add eggs then milk hot, whisk constantly over low flame until thick, scraping to avoid lumps. Cover surface directly with plastic to prevent skin. Chill until cold and thick. Filling: pipe in center. Ganache: mix dark chocolate melted with espresso, spoon on top gently—do not dip, keeps crisp top. Chill until ready. Time tweaks keep éclairs crisp but tender; do not skip steaming step.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Choux dough crucial. Boil water, butter. Remove heat, add flour quickly. Stir fast! Dough pulls together, thickens, hardens. Gotta dry it out well. Stir in pan 4 minutes. Cool before adding eggs bit by bit. Fill piping bag. Piping makes uniform size.
- 💡 Eggs tricky part. Not rush! Add slowly, mix well. Dough shiny, pipeable when right. Bake at 185°C till golden, 25-28 mins max. Pierce éclairs to release steam. Return to oven to dry out, avoid sogginess. A critical step for texture.
- 💡 Pastry cream method matters. Whisk sugar and cornstarch off heat. Add eggs, vanilla. Pour in hot milk gradually. Whisk nonstop. Scrape; thickening should happen in 5-6 mins. Cover tightly while chilling. Direct plastic wrap on surface, avoids skin.
- 💡 Ganache topping—simple but effective. Melt dark chocolate. Mix in espresso powder, stir till smooth. Don’t dip éclairs! Spoon over top gently. Keep the crispness. Refrigerate until serving. Freshness is key; best if eaten within a day or two.
- 💡 Measurements vital. Keep butter cold. Quality white chocolate matters—finely chopped for easy melting. Adjust flour for cream. Cornstarch gives the right thickness. No runny pastry, no soggy éclairs. Timing on baking crucial. Be precise to ensure success.
Common questions
How can I achieve the perfect choux pastry?
Start with boiling ingredients. Combine flour quickly. Stir vigorously until forms a ball. Cool bit, then add eggs carefully. Bake till golden. Pierce to release steam for best texture.
Why is my pastry cream too runny?
Likely didn't whisk well. Or, milk wasn’t hot enough. Key is constant whisking. Heat gradually until thick. Cover cream properly while chilling. Skin on top ruins texture.
How do I store leftover éclairs?
Refrigerate them in airtight container. They stay fresh for day but lose crispness. Consider freezing if longer. Assemble before serving to keep crunchiness.
What if my ganache is too thick?
Add a touch of warm cream to loosen. Mix well until smooth. Thin ganache gives a better finish. Gently pour for perfect topping. Adjust to preference, keep the shine.
