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Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

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Chocolate Eclairs

[heart_this] · Sep 1, 2008 · 74 Comments

Chocolate Eclairs

This months Daring Bakers challenge was chocolate eclairs. I have been wanting to try making chocolate eclairs for a while and making them for the Daring Bakers was the perfect opportunity. Chocolate eclairs consist of cream puff pastry or choux pastry, pastry cream and a chocolate glaze. The chocolate eclairs were pretty fun to make. The choux pastry was interesting as the dough is made on the stove top. The original recipe called for a chocolate pastry cream but I decided to go with a simple vanilla pastry cream. The chocolate eclairs turned out really well. The puff pastry was nice and light and airy and the pastry cream was cool and refreshing and full of vanilla goodness. They were a bit messy to eat but so good.

Choux Pastry
Pastry Cream

Chocolate Eclairs

Chocolate Eclairs

Chocolate Eclairs

Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • cream puff pastry
  • chocolate glaze (warmed)
  • pastry cream
directions
  1. Slice the eclairs in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
  2. Place the tops on a rack above parchment paper.
  3. Spread the glaze over the tops and allow the chocolate to set.
  4. Fill the bottoms with pastry cream.
  5. Place the set tops onto the bottoms and enjoy.
Cream Puffs (Choux Pastry)

Cream Puffs (Choux Pastry)

Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter (cut into 8 pieces)
  • 1/8 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs (room temperature)
directions
  1. Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a roiling boil.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and mix in all of the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
  3. Continue to stir for 2-3 minutes. The dough will be soft and smooth.
  4. Pour the dough into a bowl and beat in the eggs one at a time.
  5. Form the dough into the desired shapes on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
  6. Bake in a pre-heated 375F/190C oven and bake for 7 minutes.
  7. Stick the handle of a wooden spoon into the oven door to hold it ajar and bake for another 5 minutes.
  8. Rotate the baking sheet from front to back and bake for another 8 minutes or until the eclairs are puffed and golden brown. (With the door ajar.)
  9. Let the eclairs cool for a few hours.
Pastry Cream

Pastry Cream

Prep Time: 1 hour 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean (sliced and seeds scraped)
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (sifted)
  • 1 1/4 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
directions
  1. Bring the milk and vanilla bean seeds to a boil in a saucepan.
  2. Mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in another sauce pan.
  3. Temper the egg yolks and with the milk and combine.
  4. Strain the mixture back into the sauce pan.
  5. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking and continue to whisk for a minute.
  6. Transfer the cream to a bowl and set the bowl in an ice water bath to cool while still stirring.
  7. Once the mixture has cooled some stir in the butter.
  8. Return the bowl to the ice water bath and continue to stir until completely cooled.
Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate Sauce

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
directions
  1. Bring everything to a boil in a sauce pan while stirring.
  2. Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until the sauce thickens.
Chocolate Glaze

Chocolate Glaze

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 8 minutes Total Time: 18 minutes Servings: 4
ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons unsalted butter (cut into 4 pieces, room temperature)
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons Chocolate Sauce (room temperature)
directions
  1. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small sauce pan.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate.
  3. Stir in the butter followed by the chocolate sauce.
Take a look at the other Daring Bakers creations.

Dessert, Food, Recipe, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elra says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:13 am

    Kevin,
    your eclaires look so good, I bet this was very easy for you, maybe too easy?

    Reply
  2. Alexa says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:24 am

    Awesome eclairs Kevin! I love the vanilla cream…

    Reply
  3. Sue says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:25 am

    Never in a million years could I make chocolate eclairs. Kevin.
    Yours look so good.

    Reply
  4. Lina says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:54 am

    ohhhh I like how you made round eclairs! Yum!

    Reply
  5. MaryMary says

    September 1, 2008 at 4:01 am

    All the visible vanilla beans in your pastry cream…yum!! Looks fabulous, and I was also eyeballing your corn and avocado salad from you last post. That looks phenomenal as well!

    Reply
  6. Mochachocolata Rita says

    September 1, 2008 at 4:01 am

    oh gosh…i love the inner part of the puffs…simply heavenly! i’ll just buy these from the store hehehe (i absolutely cant bake eclairs)

    Reply
  7. marye says

    September 1, 2008 at 4:07 am

    they look great! Nice job Kevin

    Reply
  8. Rita says

    September 1, 2008 at 5:36 am

    Your choux pastry looks perfect! Love the big holes in it!
    Congratulations

    Reply
  9. Dhanggit says

    September 1, 2008 at 6:50 am

    Oh Kevin, your eclairs came out perfect!! Great idea to put vanilla ice-cream!

    Reply
  10. Manggy says

    September 1, 2008 at 6:54 am

    Wow, is this your first time? Very well done, Kevin! I hope you give the chocolate pastry cream a try next time, it’s really good!

    Reply
  11. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    September 1, 2008 at 7:08 am

    Your Eclairs look great and really scrumptious! Great job!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  12. Clumbsy Cookie says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:01 am

    You did great Kevin! Glad you finally got to try them. Vanilla is allways a great choice!

    Reply
  13. Jude says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:14 am

    Looks great. Gotta love vanilla bean specks in anything.

    Reply
  14. daphne says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:16 am

    That looks terrific. I’m trying that out soon. Bookmarking it!! AR will thank u for it. It’s one of his favourite dessert!

    Reply
  15. The Konosur says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:17 am

    You misspelled ‘Bakers’ in your last sentence. But I like ‘Daring Barkers’ more. Um, and also, Eclairs seem to be taking over the world! Might be tempted to make some.

    Reply
  16. Coffee and Vanilla says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:23 am

    Kevin,

    I love eclairs! 🙂
    This is favourite dessert of my childhood…. I used to lick out first filling, then eat bottom part and at the end chocolate glazed top 😉

    Margot

    Reply
  17. chriesi says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:53 am

    Mmm they look great!

    Reply
  18. HoneyB says

    September 1, 2008 at 9:41 am

    I just knew your eclairs would look perfectly delicious!

    Reply
  19. Nina Timm says

    September 1, 2008 at 9:46 am

    I’ll put the kettle on if you want to bring a couple of those delicious eclairs over……

    Reply
  20. Dee says

    September 1, 2008 at 10:16 am

    I love the little black vanilla specks in the cream. Cream puffs look sophisticated, but you’re always reduced to juvenile licking. That’s my fave bit.

    Reply
  21. OhioMom says

    September 1, 2008 at 10:24 am

    Great looking puffs! I love how you showed the light and airy cream puff before filling … I have never made these, yours look really good Kevin.

    Kudos 🙂

    Reply
  22. Jeanne says

    September 1, 2008 at 10:44 am

    Never having made either choux pastry or pastry cream (mea culpa!!), I am totally in awe of your eclair efforts, Kevin. When I was a kid I used to list chocolate eclairs as my all-time favourite dessert, especially if they were filled with more chocolate cream 🙂 Yours look fantastic, and you make them sound almost effortless.

    Reply
  23. Mary-Irene says

    September 1, 2008 at 11:58 am

    Whoa- those eclairs look absolutely AMAZING!!! Better than the ones you would get in a bakery, for sure!!!

    You are really ambitious!

    Too bad the ferry from Rochester to Toronto has been cancelled. I’d be on the first one to your place just to try these!

    Reply
  24. javagirlkt's cookin' says

    September 1, 2008 at 12:05 pm

    Geez, I got out of the DBers at the wrong time, I would’ve been all over this recipe! Looks amazing, and I like that none of the ingredients are that unusual. Most people have all the stuff in their kitchen already, except maybe the vanilla bean.

    I think I’m going to have to make these, but one quick questions: After you turn the pan of pastry around in the oven, it says to bake for another 5 minutes, but it doesn’t say if the door should still be propped open or not. How did you do it?

    Reply
  25. javagirlkt's cookin' says

    September 1, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Oops, I meant to write 8 minutes, not 5. So basically, is the door propped open for the last 8 minutes of baking?

    Reply
  26. Steph says

    September 1, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    Your eclairs puffed up really nicely and the inside looks nice and fluffy! I love the little specks of vanilla bean in your pastry cream… I’m sure that tasted better than my imitation vanilla verson.

    Reply
  27. Kevin says

    September 1, 2008 at 12:25 pm

    javagirlkt’s cookin’: I left the door propped open for the last 8 minutes off baking.

    Reply
  28. maybelle's mom says

    September 1, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    great job, and I would say messy is very often a sign of tasty food.

    Reply
  29. Rosie says

    September 1, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    Brilliant eclairs Kevin! Mmmm with vanilla cream – slurp.

    Rosie x

    Reply
  30. VeggieGirl says

    September 1, 2008 at 1:02 pm

    Kevin, you did a spectacular job on making the éclairs – they look perfect!! And hey, the fact that they’re messy to eat is fun ;0)

    Reply
  31. Bellini Valli says

    September 1, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    Messy or not Kevin your eclairs turned out beautifully. The chocolate on top would be enough to cure my chocoholic fix:D

    Reply
  32. Jan says

    September 1, 2008 at 2:04 pm

    They look lovely!

    Reply
  33. Gloria (Canela) says

    September 1, 2008 at 2:33 pm

    Kevin your eclairs are fantastic and Iknew that was so!!! Look so yummy, I love vanilla cream to stuff, here many things have it!!!xxGloria

    Reply
  34. noble pig says

    September 1, 2008 at 2:45 pm

    The inside of eclair dough looks so cool Kevin, I’m sure they tasted wonderful.

    Reply
  35. Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:14 pm

    I have never tackled these wonderful treats – Yours look great especially with the vanilla bean peeking out of the filling.

    Reply
  36. monica says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    Yummi!
    Your éclairs look great, Kevin!

    Reply
  37. noobcook says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:43 pm

    amazing! when are you opening a bakery kevin? 😀

    Reply
  38. StickyGooeyCreamyChewy says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:48 pm

    Great looking eclairs! So puffy and crispy! I used vanilla cream too.

    Reply
  39. Cheryl says

    September 1, 2008 at 3:51 pm

    Those look amazing! Wow

    Reply
  40. Anonymous says

    September 1, 2008 at 4:14 pm

    These are beautiful. I SO wish I had one right now.

    Reply
  41. Aggie says

    September 1, 2008 at 4:19 pm

    Wow Kevin those look so delicious. I love seeing the vanilla bean in the pastry cream, I wish I had one of these right now.

    Reply
  42. Pam says

    September 1, 2008 at 5:20 pm

    They look wonderful Kevin. All the vanilla flecks in your cream look fantastic. This was a fun challenge – I had such a great time making them.

    Reply
  43. mikky says

    September 1, 2008 at 6:07 pm

    hey, yours looks good too…you guys are so good… 🙂

    Reply
  44. Proud Italian Cook says

    September 1, 2008 at 6:15 pm

    They sure look like vanilla goodness Kevin! Great job, as usual!

    Reply
  45. Jessica says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:10 pm

    These look amazing! Love all of your pictures as well.

    Reply
  46. Leonor says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:11 pm

    You’ve done a good job!
    All love all your recipes…

    I’ll be back for more…

    Reply
  47. Darius T. Williams says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:19 pm

    Great job – you guys really are daring though. You guys do things I wouldn’t attempt to do. You know, maybe one day when I step my game up I’ll join you guys…but promise, no laughing, okay?

    -DTW
    http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

    Reply
  48. Cakebrain says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:24 pm

    Great job with the eclairs, Kevin! I like how the vanilla bean speckled pastry cream is oozing out of the choux!

    Reply
  49. Helene says

    September 1, 2008 at 8:50 pm

    I love Eclairs. You did such a good job.

    Reply
  50. Katrina says

    September 1, 2008 at 9:04 pm

    YOUR eclairs look delicious. I like that they are a bit smaller than others I’ve seen. I’m into smaller goodies right now for some reason. Guess it makes eating one seem less “naughty”. 🙂

    Reply
  51. Jeena says

    September 1, 2008 at 9:21 pm

    Fabulous chocolate elcairs! I love homemade choux pastry there is something very satisfying about making it…..

    I love the yelloa custard filling it looks so wonderful!

    Reply
  52. Lori says

    September 1, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    They look great Kevin. YOu have such a good eye for pics!

    Reply
  53. Prudy says

    September 1, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    Your pastry cream looks stunning, flecked with vanilla beans and creamy.

    Reply
  54. Pam says

    September 2, 2008 at 12:02 am

    Unbelievable! I love how light and airy the cream puffs are!

    Reply
  55. Dragon says

    September 2, 2008 at 12:05 am

    Great job with your eclairs, Kevin. They look amazing!

    Reply
  56. Mrs Ergül says

    September 2, 2008 at 1:09 am

    Wow! Your eclairs really puffed up, didn’t they?!

    Reply
  57. Lunch Buckets says

    September 2, 2008 at 1:53 am

    Very nice job – your pastry cream looks amazing 🙂

    Reply
  58. Passionate About Baking says

    September 2, 2008 at 3:06 am

    WAY TO GO Kevin…just plump like I love them & very delicious looking! Good for you!!

    Reply
  59. Amber says

    September 2, 2008 at 3:12 am

    Love the vanilla bean seeds in the filling. These look so good. I just kept having problems with them collapsing, and yours are just like I expected from you…perfect.

    Reply
  60. canarygirl says

    September 2, 2008 at 7:14 am

    Gawn, YUM!

    Reply
  61. chefectomy says

    September 2, 2008 at 10:41 am

    These look awesome Kevin!

    Reply
  62. Tartelette says

    September 2, 2008 at 1:04 pm

    Very well done Kevin! The vanilla pastry cream looks exquisite!

    Reply
  63. Deborah says

    September 2, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    Perfect! And that pastry cream looks perfect and delicious!

    Reply
  64. hot garlic says

    September 3, 2008 at 3:18 am

    Good work! Yours didn’t fall like many others, including mine. Kudos!

    Reply
  65. Cooking and the City says

    September 3, 2008 at 11:15 pm

    Kevin your eclairs look so light & they really puffed up great job! I'd love one right now 😉

    Reply
  66. meeso says

    September 4, 2008 at 1:04 am

    This was one of the first “fancy” desserts I ever made when I was younger, My mom loved them… Yours look awesome!

    Reply
  67. Anonymous says

    September 7, 2008 at 11:58 am

    Kevin your eclairs look amazing. I loved this months challenge 🙂

    Reply
  68. Jaime says

    September 9, 2008 at 4:59 am

    i love how you can see the vanilla beans in your pastry cream! well done 🙂

    Reply
  69. poofye says

    November 27, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    Hi Kevin, ur eclairs look so good..it makes me feel like i cant resists to give it a go 🙂 however, i have a question to ask for the pastry cream process “7. Once the mixture has cooled some stir in the one at a time.” what should we stir in after the mixture has cooled? did we miss something here?

    many thanks

    Reply
  70. Kevin says

    November 27, 2008 at 1:44 pm

    poofye: Sorry that should be stir in the butter. If you double the recipe stir it in one tablespoon at a time.

    Reply
  71. Michelle says

    April 10, 2009 at 10:58 pm

    YUM I made these today for Easter! So delicious!

    Reply
  72. Sonu says

    January 13, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    Hi Kevin i always wanted this recipe thnks for sharing……..looks delicious cant wait to try it

    Reply
  73. Jennifer de Souza says

    April 25, 2020 at 5:37 am

    Hi Kevin

    This recipe sure looks awesome! However, can I replace the vanilla beans with vanilla extract as vanilla beans are way to expensive. If so, how much should I use? Thanks very much.

    Kind regards
    Jennifer

    Reply
    • kevin says

      April 26, 2020 at 8:55 am

      Yes you can! Use 1/2 teaspoon! Enjoy!

      Reply

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Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
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