Light and airy choux pastry filled with a silky vanilla cream and topped with a rich, glossy chocolate glaze. This Ultimate Chocolate Éclair is a classic French dessert that looks impressive yet tastes absolutely heavenly with every bite.

Ingredients

Choux Pastry

• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs

Vanilla Cream Filling

• 2 cups (500 ml) milk
• 4 egg yolks
• ⅓ cup (70 g) sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze

• 150 g dark chocolate
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

Make the Choux Pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a saucepan, bring water and butter to a boil.
3. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until a dough forms.
4. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
5. Beat in eggs one at a time until smooth.
6. Pipe long strips onto a baking sheet.
7. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown.
8. Let cool completely.

Make the Vanilla Cream

1. Heat milk until warm.
2. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch.
3. Slowly add warm milk while whisking.
4. Return to heat and cook until thick.
5. Stir in vanilla and cool completely.

Assemble

1. Fill the éclairs with the vanilla cream using a piping bag.
2. Heat cream and pour over chopped chocolate.
3. Stir until smooth and glossy.
4. Dip the tops of the éclairs into the chocolate glaze.
5. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.