Éclair—Chocolate and Coffee
A classic French pastry, the Éclair is an oblong, custard-filled pastry. The name literally means “lightning bolt,” and it is virtually identical to cream puffs and Religieuse except for the shape. To make éclairs requires a bit of planning and preparation. There are various components (recipes follow for each): cream puff pastry, pastry cream (filling), fondant glaze (chocolate and/or coffee) and syrup. You can do all or some of the preparation a day or two in advance. However, it is best to fill and assemble the puffs as close to serving time as possible, so the choux pastry doesn’t get soggy. The following recipe makes half coffee-filled éclairs and half chocolate-filled éclairs. You may instead make all coffee or all chocolate éclairs.
Recipe adapted from that of PARIS BOULANGERIE – PÀTISSERIE in Thirteen Outstanding French Bakeries, by Linda Dannenberg.
Makes about 14-15 4-inch/10-cm long éclairs.
PÂTE À CHOUX – Cream Puff Pastry
This is the basic pastry used for cream puffs and éclairs and it is one of the easiest pastries to make in the entire pâtissiere repertoire.
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 teaspoon salt
1teaspoon sugar
1 ¾ sticks (200 g) unsalted butter, cut in pieces
1 2/3 cups (235 g) all-purpose flour
large eggs
1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon water (for egg wash just before baking)
- In a large heavy saucepan, combine the water, milk, salt, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until butter melts and liquid is boiling. Meanwhile, sift the flour onto a sheet of wax paper. Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour in a thin stream, using a wooden spoon to stir vigorously for 1 minute, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan. This will dry the mixture out. Don’t over-cook at this stage.
- Add the 6-7 eggs one at a time and continue to mix until the dough is smooth. After the fifth egg, beat the last 2 individually, adding just as much you need so that when the mixture is lifted with a spoon, a peak stands up, then droops over slightly. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 30 minutes.
The unbaked dough will keep well for 3 days, tightly sealed in the refrigerator. It can also be successfully frozen; however, it needs to be at room temperature before baking. Makes about 5 cups/1250 ml.
CRÈME PÂTISSIERE – Pastry Cream Filling
This is the basic crème pâtissiere, or cooked custard. It is used to fill éclairs, cream puffs, fruit tarts, and many other pastries.
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
5 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
for coffee filling: 1-2 tablespoons espresso or dark roast coffee
for chocolate filling: 2 oz (60 g) bittersweet chocolate, cut up and melted
- Combine the milk, vanilla bean and about half of the sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to boil. Meanwhile, in a medium-size mixing bowl whisk the yolks with the remaining sugar until they are pale and form a ribbon when dropped from whisk… about 4 minutes.
- Sift the flour and cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture and mix gently until blended.
- Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while stirring, then return it to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to cook custard about 2 minutes. Strain the cream into a clean mixing bowl; if you are using vanilla extract, add it now. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the cream to prevent the formation of skin. Cool the pastry cream on a wire rack, then refrigerate until needed. The cream can be kept, covered and refrigerated, for 2-3 days.
FONDANT GLAZE (to be divided into two portions, for chocolate and coffee versions):
To make about 1 cup of a basic Fondant:
Approximately 3 cups (600 g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
1/4 cup of water
A squirt of lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft
Pour the water in a medium mixing bowl (or stand mixer). Add about 2 cups of the sifted confectioners’ sugar little by little, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in the lemon juice, add the butter and then continue to add as much additional confectioners’ sugar as needed to produce a thick glaze/icing that evenly coats the top of an éclair and stays where it is spread.
For coffee éclair glaze: 2-3 tablespoons espresso or dark roast coffee
For chocolate éclair glaze: 2 oz (60 g) bittersweet chocolate, melted
Syrup (if needed for glaze):
1/3 cup/60 g sugar
1/3 cup/ 70 ml water
- Baking the Choux/pastry:
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or give the baking sheets a “butter and flour” coating. - Fit a large pastry bag with a 5/8-inch/1 ½ cm plain tip. Spoon the choux pastry into the bag and gently press it down into the bottom of the bag. To pipe the éclairs, hold the bag at a 45-degree angle to the pan and with the tip touching the paper form 14-15 diagonal strips about 4 inches/10 cm long. Make sure the strips have about 2 inches/5 cm space between them; lift the tip of the pastry bag as each strip is formed. If it makes it easier, you can trace a line on the paper with a pencil to guide you. Brush all the puffs with the beaten egg and then etch a pattern along the length of the éclairs with the tines of a fork.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the puff pastries have risen and are beginning to color.
- Lower the oven to 350°F/175°C, and continue to bake until the puff pastries are golden and dry, about 20 minutes longer. Cool the pan on wire rack.
Completing the Filling:
Prepare pastry cream as above. While it is still hot, divide it in half. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the espresso/coffee to half of the pastry cream; add the 2 oz melted chocolate to the rest of the pastry cream.
Place the coffee-flavored pastry cream in a pastry bag with a small plain tip about 3/8 inch/1 cm. Poke a hole in the bottom of puffs. Fill half of the puffs with the coffee pastry cream. You will feel when they are full by the weight. Place the chocolate pastry cream in another pastry bag with the same size tip and fill the remaining puffs.
Completing the Fondant Glaze:
For coffee fondant, heat half of the fondant (recipe above) in a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over simmering water. Stir in about 2-3 tablespoons of espresso/coffee until well combined. The fondant should be smooth and fluid. If it is too stiff, add a little syrup, made by bringing the sugar and water (see syrup recipe above) to boil over medium high heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Keep the fondant over simmering water while you are working with it.
For chocolate fondant, heat the other half of the fondant in a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over simmering water. Stir in the 2 oz melted chocolate (see FONDANT GLAZE above) until well combined. The fondant should be smooth and fluid. If it is too stiff, add a little syrup as with the coffee fondant above.
Dip the coffee-filled éclair puffs in the coffee fondant, letting the excess drip off. Run your index finger around the edges of the fondant to smooth the edges. Repeat with the remaining chocolate pastry cream-filled éclair puffs with the chocolate fondant.
Refrigerate at least 10 minutes before serving. The fresher they are, the better, so serve as soon as possible after preparing, ideally within 4 hours of filling the choux.