French-Style Eclairs with Mascarpone-Stabilised Cream and Shiny Chocolate Glaze Recipe
Classic French éclairs made with light and crispy choux pastry, generously filled with a stabilised Chantilly cream incorporating mascarpone for structure, and topped with a shiny 70% dark chocolate glaze. This Australian-style twist keeps the cream inside perfectly without leaking and ensures a delightful texture with every bite.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 éclairs
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian, British, French
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 100g / 7 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm / 1/2″ cubes
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup plain/all-purpose flour
- Pinch cooking/kosher salt
- 4 large eggs (55-60g / 2oz each), at room temperature
Shiny Chocolate Glaze
- 100g / 3.5 oz 70% cocoa dark chocolate block, finely chopped
- 2/3 cup thickened/heavy cream (minimum 35% fat)
- 3 1/2 teaspoons corn syrup or liquid glucose
Stabilised Chantilly Cream
- 3 cups thickened/heavy cream or whipping cream (minimum 35% fat)
- 1 cup mascarpone (40%+ fat)
- 1 2/3 cups icing sugar / powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract, or 2 vanilla pods
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan). Arrange two racks: one in the top third and one in the lower third. Lightly spray three baking trays with canola oil and line them with baking or parchment paper.
- Prepare the choux pastry base: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When nearly melted, add the water and bring to a simmer. Add the flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon while the pan remains on the stove. The mixture will clump into a sticky dough that pulls away from the pan walls, typically in about 10 seconds. Immediately remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes (no longer).
- Incorporate the eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing vigorously with the wooden spoon after each addition, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. The mixture may appear separated initially but will come together into a sticky, thick paste holding its shape (not loose).
- Pipe the éclairs: Transfer the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 15 mm star tip. Pipe logs approximately 12-14 cm long, 2.5 cm wide, and 1.5 cm tall, spacing them about 5 cm apart on the trays to allow proper airflow for crisping. You should get around 20 éclairs.
- Bake: Place two trays in the oven on the prepared racks and bake for 45 minutes. At 30, 35, and 40 minutes, briefly open the oven door for about 2 seconds to release steam and promote crispiness. Remove the trays at the 45-minute mark and, if using a third tray, bake it separately with the same method.
- Cool the choux buns: Allow baked éclairs to cool fully on the trays without disturbing them to maintain crispness.
- Prepare the chocolate glaze: Place chopped dark chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream and corn syrup or glucose in a small saucepan over medium heat until just below boiling. Pour this hot mixture over the chocolate and let it stand for 1 minute, then gently mix with a rubber spatula until smooth and shiny. Avoid whisking to prevent bubbles. Transfer glaze to a wide, shallow bowl for dipping.
- Coat the éclairs: Slice cooled éclairs horizontally in half. Dip the top half into the chocolate glaze and place on a tray. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the chocolate is firm to the touch.
- Make the stabilised Chantilly cream: In a bowl, combine the thickened cream, mascarpone, sifted icing sugar, and vanilla. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the mixture for about 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble the éclairs: Transfer the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Generously pipe the cream onto the bottom halves of the éclair and then place the chocolate-coated lids on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Eggs should be at room temperature for best incorporation; if eggs vary in size, whisk together and measure 200 ml for accuracy.
- Use 70% cocoa dark chocolate for rich and shiny glaze. For semi-sweet or regular dark chocolate chips, use 150g chocolate with 125 ml cream to adjust consistency.
- Ensure cream used is at least 35% fat for proper whipping and glaze texture.
- Glucose or corn syrup in the glaze adds a professional shine and prevents crystallization.
- Mascarpone stabilises the cream, preventing it from leaking out and maintaining texture for up to 2 days refrigerated.
- Vanilla bean paste or pods provide the best vanilla flavor; vanilla extract works as a substitute.
- A star tip piping nozzle creates authentic ridges and a refined shape, but a round tip or a snipped piping bag end of about 2.3 cm wide also work well.
- Store unfilled choux pastry in an airtight container up to 3 days; re-crisp in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes before filling.
- Assembled éclairs keep for 2-3 days refrigerated but pastry will soften over time.
- Nutrition info is per éclair serving.
