Chocolate Éclairs by Pierre Hermé was the great challenge Meeta and Tony chose for us. Thank you both! The recipe came from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé written by Dorie Greenspan. As soon as I read the 2 words: Hermé and chocolate, I knew it was going to be good!
I love choux pastry, I specially like doing it by hand and felling the dough texture changing. This recipe called for éclairs (thin long pieces of choux) filled with dark chocolate pastry cream and glazed with a dark chocolate glaze. We could add other flavours as long as we kept one of the elements chocolatey!

- White on white
- Black on Black
- White on black
- Black on white
CHOUX PASTRY
- ½ cup (125g) whole milk
- ½ cup (125g) water
- 1 stick (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil. Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add all of the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and start to stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon. The dough comes together very quickly. Do not worry if a slight crust forms at the bottom of the pan, it’s supposed to. You need to carry on stirring for a further 2-3 minutes to dry the dough. After this time the doughwill be very soft and smooth. Transfer the dough into a bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each egg has been added to incorporate it into the dough.You will notice that after you have added the first egg, the dough will separate, once again do not worry. As you keep working the dough, it will come back all together again by the time you have added the third egg. In the end the dough should be thick and shiny and when lifted it should fall back into the bowl in a ribbon. Once the dough is made you need to shape it immediately. Simply pipe the dough onto parchment-lined bakingsheets using a pastry bag with a wide round tip.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the oven into thirds by positioning the racks in the upper and lower half of the oven. Line two baking sheets with waxed or parchment paper. Fill a large pastry bag fitted with a 2/3 (2cm) plain tip nozzle with the warm cream puff dough.Pipe the dough onto the baking sheets in long, 4 to 41/2 inches (about 11 cm) chubby fingers. Leave about 2 inches (5 cm) space in between each dough strip to allow them room to puff. The dough should give you enough to pipe 20-24 éclairs. Slide both the baking sheets into the oven and bake for 7 minutes. The original recipe says to put a wooden spoon on the door to keep it from closing, but I didn't do that, at this point I just lowered the temperature to 350ºF (180ºC). The total baking time should be approximately 20 minutes.
CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM (DARK & WHITE)
- 2 cups (500g) whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 6 tbsp (75g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
- 7 oz (200g) chocolate melted (3.5 oz/100 gr Dark + 3.5 oz/100 gr White)
- 2½ tbsp (1¼ oz, 40g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided in 2
In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. In the meantime, combine the yolks, sugar and cornstarch together and whisk in a heavy‐bottomed saucepan. Once the milk has reached a boil, temper the yolks by whisking a couple spoonfuls of the hot milk into the yolk mixture. Continue whisking and slowly pour the rest of the milk into the tempered yolk mixture. Strain the mixture back into the saucepan to remove any egg that may have scrambled. Place the pan over medium heat and whisk vigorously (without stop) until the mixture returns to a boil. Keep whisking vigorously for 1 to 2 more minutes (still over medium heat). Divide mixture in 2 bowls and stir in the melted chocolates to each half. Set the bowls in an ice‐water bath to stop the cooking process. Make sure to continue stirring the mixtures at this point so that it remains smooth. Once the creams have reached a temperature of 140 F remove from the ice‐water bath and stir in the butter in three or four installments to each part. Return the creams to the ice‐water bath to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, until it has completely cooled. In order to avoid a skin forming on the pastry creams, cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface if not using imediatly.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE (DARK & WHITE)
- 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream, divided in
- 3½ oz (100g) chocolate, finely chopped (1.8 oz/50 gr each of dark and white
- 4 tsp (20 g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature, divided in
- 7 tbsp (110 g) Chocolate Sauce (recipe below), warm or at room temperature, divided in 2
Do each glaze separately. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly begin to add the chocolate, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula. Stirring gently, stir in the butter, piece by piece followed by the chocolate sauce. It is best to glaze the eclairs after the glaze is made.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE (DARK & WHITE)
- 4½ oz (130 g) chocolate, finely chopped (2.3 oz/65 gr of each dark and white)
- 1 cup (250 g) water, divided in 2
- ½ cup (125 g) heavy cream, divided in 2
- 2 tbsp sugar (35 g) sugar (just for the dark chocolate one)
Do each one separated. Place all the ingredients (no sugar on the white chocolate one) into a heavy‐bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil, making sure to stir constantly. Then reduce the heat to low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens. It may take 10‐15 minutes for the sauce to thicken, but you will know when it is done when it coats the back of your spoon.
ASSEMBLING
Original recipe sayed to slice the éclairs horizontally, using a serrated knife, but I used a pastry bag with a long tip to fill the éclairs. I filled half of them with the dark chocolate pastry cream and the other half with the white chocolate pastry cream. If you have chilled your chocolate glaze, reheat by placing it in a bowl over simmering water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. I then glazed half of each type of éclairs with the 2 different glazes, creating the 4 types. The éclairs should be served as soon as they have been filled.
They were delicious! All of them! I though the all white would be too sweet and the all dark too heavy, but no! They were both really good! My favourite was the Dark on white, the one filled with white pastry cream and glazed in dark. Sorry Pierre, but that was the best!
Check the all the other éclairs here! See you in September!
112 comments:
Goodness gracious! I am coming over for eclairs NOW! What a fantastic job you did. I am in awe! :)
MMmmmmmH... gimme...gimme...black or white... both please :)
Beautiful job, fellow DB :) I like how you used 4 variations, and that michael jackson video is great, it makes me think back to like 3rd grade :)
My husbandmay not care for my peanut butter cheesecakes, but he LOVES eclairs! They look as good as it gets!
OMG your eclair look so perfect!! Great job for this month!!
Fabulous & yummilicious CC...it really don't matter!! Great job, & ever so pretty!! Love the marbling too.
Stunnning! You were a busy and creative little bee!! Love them!
I am in awe of your blog. Your DB challenge was fantastic! I think I'd like the B&W combo best, too.
Oh they look gorgeous! So pretty with the black/white combinations and beautifully shaped too.
Oh they look gorgeous! So pretty with the black/white combinations and beautifully shaped too.
Oh they look gorgeous! So pretty with the black/white combinations and beautifully shaped too.
rita, maravillosos!
Haha, the title of your post/the Michael Jackson reference made me laugh out loud - love it!! :0D
Your éclairs look like works of art!!
¡¡¡¡¡ Qué bonitoooooooooooos !!!!! Y qué perfectamente huecos por dentro. Maravillosos. Y además con todas las combinaciones entre blanco y negro (me ha sonado a binario, no lo he podido evitar). Este reto ha sido divertidísimo. ¡A ver qué deberes nos ponen para el mes que viene!
Anda! Que conste que lachandra soy yo, Morgana, que se me ha olvidado identificarme con name/URL y ha salido mi identidad de google. :S Qué lío!
Si es que con tanto chocolate se me nubla el conocimiento y ya no sé ni identificarme en condiciones...
I thought about squeezing in the pastry cream, like you did. It would have been much easier than halving the eclair shells, and would have looked neater. Great job!
Gosh just look at those beauties!!!
I did similar versions too :)
Black and white, that's cute! Yums! :)
What beautiful eclairs! The hollow inside shot certainly tells it all. Love the black on white/reverse theme and the decorations. Very, very nice work!
Boy were you busy making all those variations! The results are super-fantastic! I want to inhale them all! I have Herme's book but haven't made anything yet because I'm kind of scared...
I love the marbeling! Beautiful!
Wow! que buen trabajo!!!
Me encantó tu concepto de jugar con los colores del chocolate!
Tus éclairs salieron perfectos!!!
Saludos!!!
So cute! Love the four variations. Great job!
your eclairs look so professional! You got them to be so perfectly hollow! Im jealous!
your eclairs looks great and i use to love that song.
dios mio, mira que hay fotos bonitas por ahi...pero las tuyas son de decir comeme comeme...me saltaba la pantalla ahorita mismo y aunque soy chocoadicta total me quedo con los blanquitos y tanto relleno...que hambre por dios que preciosidad
OMG those look good! What a creative Daring Baker you are!
My favorite ones are the mixed chocolate ones :D *drool*
Rita! Your eclairs look awesome. I love how you show the hollow eclair!
OMG those look delicious!!!! I love how you filled them...now I have eclair envy!
Beautiful! Each variation looks delicious. Great job!
Yummy,Yummy,Yummy!!!! Nice work how ever dear Clumbsy!!! xGloria
love all your variations! beautiful!
Those look wonderful, nicely done!
Those are unspeakably gorgeous. I love the swirl in the top, and the piping picture reminds me of feeding a baby a bottle. You are just amazing.
Your elcairs look amazing! Um I'll take a dozen to go!
I can always count on you to be a creative genius. Absolutely gorgeous!
They're awesome! Great job!
Yum. I prefer the pastry bag technique, too. Just didn't have one!
Look at all of the variations! I'm impressed. They look fantastic!
Those are so gorgeous!! I'll take one of each, please!!
Your éclairs looks amazing... and delicious!!
:)
Yum! A dark on white for me please. They all look delicious.
Wonderful job - all with the very classic colour scheme of black and white.
Well my goodness! Those are absolutely perfect!!
these came out beautiful! And I love your pics!
These look fabulous! I love how you jazzed everything up and took this in fun directions. Well done!
Did you really have to post pictures of these beautiful eclairs? Eclairs are my favorite and I can't stand looking at these when I can't have one :)
Wow great job 4 variations, very impressive! they all look delicious!
these look unbelievably delectable. great job with the challenge!
Rita, all your pastries are fantastic! I love the marbling on the chocolate glaze. And step-by-step photos are very informative!
They look so delicious! You have me wishing that I made some with white chocolate too!
Oh the pictures are so good! my eclairs where lousy! :(
Your Eclairs look fantastic! You did a great job with the piping and the glazing! Very well done!
Cheers,
Rosa
oh yes - black or white - just make sure it's in an eclair lol! well done!
Wow, your choux turned out perfect. Love the hollowed out photo, actually all of them.
Got another song for you, remember Ebony & Ivory?
great job for this month!Its look really nice!
Four types of eclairs?! You're either insane or a genius. Ohhhh I want these so much.
Your black and/ or white combinations look fantastic. It is tempting even me (eclairs are not my favourite).
gorgeous contrasts and decorations.
Thanks everyone who stopped by and left great comments!
Your eclairs look really scrummy :-)
Não sabia que falavas Português tão bem...adoro o teu blog...estes éclairs estão absolutamente espantosos...abraço
These look so beautiful! And so many choices! Excellent!
Espectaculares, e que bons que deviam estar! Sobrou algum?
wow! your eclairs look great! I love the ones with marbled top. :)
Wonderful eclairs! Nice step by step photos too.
I love the patterns on top of your Eclairs. It looks like you had fun with this challenge. They look delicious.
The eclairs look gorgeous.
Way to rock the black and white eclairs! I love the combos, I can hear ebony and ivory in the background.
I especially like the fancy swirlies, great job!
Wow. Your baked choux dough looks so impressive.. I wish I could tunnel mine like that. perfect for piping pastry cream into!
Que ricos!!! son de mis pasteles favoritos, rica y suave crema de vainilla con un toque de chocolate o caramelo...
Exquisitos!!
Ana
Your eclairs look great! I like that you did different toppings and fillings!
great job! congrats on your 4th month of being a DB! i love your 4 different combinations!
These are SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!! You did a great job. And I am LOVING your title...made me laugh out loud!
I love them. They look fabulous.
whoa, you really went way out on this one chicklet.
I love the chocolate on chocolate one. You certainly must have been busy. They came out perfectly.
Are these for real? They look AMAZING
Those look good, but really, I was checking in for a cookie report ;)
Rita,
If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't have even known about the DBC, at least not for a while..so thanks for that :)
BTW, your eclairs and photos are phenomenal, but nothing new there! :)
Those are so incredible you pastry girl! Talk about being in your element. You could sell these in a fancy bakery and make a killing! Great job girl!
I can't take it anymore! I have to make eclairs! Yours look perfect.
Four different kinds! Good for you; you certainly got into the spirit of things! And they all look fabulous too :)
I will take one of each..and then seconds! Your eclairs look amazing!
Very very sweet wonderful fantastic looking eclairs. Do you own a bakery?
That is incredible!
Hubba hubba! Those look fantastic. I especially love the marble design on the top. Gorgeous!
I love the contrast between black and white - such a beautiful variety!
You sure went all-out on those different variations! They all look so good, I don't know which sounds better. :)
As usual your a baking super star. Your black and white eclairs made my mouth water
You did a fantastic job dear! I did not expect anything less and this is beyond gorgeous!
Wowzers, what pretty little eclairs! Great job, completely flawless! If I had made 'em, the filling would've been oozing out everywhere :D.
Gorgeous. Choux pastry is pretty easy to make and I haven't done it in forever. I love how you made all of that effort to get different combinations in there like that.
I *heart* the Daring Bakers!
Ooh, white chocolate sounds SO good! They look great!
Beeeeautiful Éclairs!!! I'm really interested in the "black & black" one...
Kisses! ;D
Geez, I'm coming over for dessert! Any way you can mail them to PA? ;)
I absolutely love the side by side pictures. Gorgeous photos and I'm sure, even tastier eclairs!
Your eclairs are beauitful! Great job.
I love how much filling you were able to get into the eclairs and the design on top. They look great!
Those look amazing! I love how you decorated them!
OH.MY.
I can't believe you made it out ALIVE with these. I mean - doughs, fillings, frostings, sauces. It's almost carnal. I love it.
WOW! These look absolutely perfect! WOW. I like all 4 variations, but I like to mix it up and have a little black and a little white together!
I love that you did different toppings. Plus the fact that they look absolutely delicious is always a bonus. Beautiful job!
GORGEOUS! I love what you did with the challenge! They are just breathtaking!
Eu um dia ainda consigo fazer estas coisas perfeitinhas como tu!! Mas até lá só mesmo em fotografias. :P
Lindos eclairs, adoro as decorações.
Para quando o nosso bolo de chocolate?
Bj grande
Your eclairs look scrumptious! Nice contrast of colors...
Your eclairs look amazing!!! I don't know what else to say. I am in awe!
wow what a treat for my eyes. Great job ..love the photographs ...you've got me drooling all over !
a freakin' mazing! how lovely! i would totally have an all to myself day making these! would i share? not so sure! :)
These look so yummy! Nice photos!
Oh wow, your eclairs look FANTASTIC! Love the 4 varieties. Yum! I'll take one of each please. :)
wow this look amazing as usual, great job. I was so sad that I was not able to do my first daring baker event. I can not wait to get back in my kitchen "sigh".
Oh i'm in heaven! Choco-eclair heaven! Pack a dozen of each in your luggage when you come to America.. :-)
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