Ingredients:
For the choux pastry:
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
For the pastry cream:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate ganache:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove the pan from heat and let it cool for a couple of minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the batter is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer the choux pastry to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 4- to 5-inch long strips onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each éclair.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the éclairs are golden brown and puffed. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
- For the pastry cream, heat the milk in a saucepan until it’s warm but not boiling. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until well combined.
- Gradually pour the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens.
- Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and let it cool.
- For the chocolate ganache, heat the heavy cream in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips. Let it sit for a minute, then stir until smooth.
- Cut the cooled éclairs in half horizontally. Fill the bottom half with the pastry cream and replace the top.
- Dip the top of each éclair into the chocolate ganache, allowing any excess to drip off.
- Place the éclairs in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the ganache.
