Éclairs Recipe

Making the Choux Pastry

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine water, butter, and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. 2. Let the dough cool slightly before adding eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Pipe the dough onto a baking sheet in lines, leaving space between each for expansion.

Preparing the Custard Filling

1. In a medium saucepan, mix milk, sugar, and vanilla extract, and bring to a simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and cornstarch together. Gradually add some of the hot milk to the egg mixture to temper it, then return the egg-milk mixture to the saucepan. 2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Remove from heat, let it cool, then chill in the refrigerator.

Assembling the Éclairs

1. Once the choux pastries have cooled, make a small incision on the side and pipe the custard filling inside. 2. Prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar with a little water, food coloring, and desired flavor extracts until smooth. Drizzle or dip the tops of the éclairs with the icing. Let the icing set before serving.