Chocolate Craquelin Éclairs

These are the éclairs that “disappear the moment they’re out of the oven”! The steps aren’t difficult—just make sure you master the correct gelatinization of the choux dough. If you’re not a fan of the crispy craquelin topping, you can skip it and glaze the éclairs with a smooth chocolate mirror glaze instead.

Ingredients

Craquelin Topping

• Butter (A) – 80 g (about 5½ tbsp), softened

• Powdered sugar – 70 g (about ½ cup + 1 tbsp)

• Cake flour – 100 g (about ¾ cup + 2 tbsp)

Choux Pastry Shells

• Water – 62.5 g (about ¼ cup)

• Milk (A) – 62.5 g (about ¼ cup)

• Butter (B) – 57.5 g (about 4 tbsp)

• Pinch of salt

• Pinch of sugar

• Bread flour – 70 g (about ½ cup + 1 tbsp)

• Beaten eggs – 138 g (about 2–3 large eggs, adjust as needed)

Chocolate Pastry Cream

• Egg yolks – 100 g (about 5–6 yolks)

• Sugar – 120 g (about ½ cup + 2 tbsp)

• Cornstarch – 25 g (about 3 tbsp)

• Cocoa powder – 5 g (about 1 tbsp)

• Milk (B) – 500 g (about 2 cups)

• Dark chocolate – 12 g (about 0.4 oz)

Instructions

Make the Craquelin

1. In a bowl, cream the softened butter with powdered sugar until smooth.

2. Sift in the cake flour and mix with a cutting/folding motion until a uniform dough forms. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.

3. Once firm, roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until thin.

4. Cut into strips about 10 × 3 cm (4 × 1¼ in). Chill or freeze until ready to use (length should be slightly shorter than the éclairs).

Make the Choux Pastry

1. In a saucepan (avoid nonstick), combine butter, milk, water, salt, and sugar. Heat until just boiling, then reduce to low.

2. Sift in the bread flour all at once, stirring quickly with a spatula until the dough pulls away from the sides and a thin film forms on the bottom—this means the starch has gelatinized. Remove from heat.

3. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and spread it out to cool to about 55°C (131°F). (If it’s too hot, the eggs will scramble.) Preheat the oven to 190°C top heat / 180°C bottom heat (375°F / 355°F).

4. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition. The dough is ready when it falls from the spatula in a smooth, V-shaped “triangle” about 4 cm (1½ in) long. You may not need all the egg—moisture absorption varies with different flours.

5. Fit a piping bag with a 14-tooth star tip and fill with the choux dough.

6. Pipe éclairs onto a prepared baking sheet, holding the bag at a 45° angle, close to the surface. Length should be 11–12 cm (4¼–4¾ in). Lift quickly at the end to finish.

7. Place a strip of craquelin on top of each éclair.

8. Bake in the center of the oven at 190°C/180°C (375°F/355°F) for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave them inside for 5 minutes to set before removing to cool.

Make the Chocolate Pastry Cream

1. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa powder until smooth.

2. Heat the milk until steaming. Gradually whisk half into the yolk mixture, then pour everything back into the pan with the remaining milk.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until thickened (about 3–5 minutes).

4. Remove from heat, stir in dark chocolate, and mix until melted and smooth.

5. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until chilled. Before using, whisk to restore a smooth texture, then transfer to a piping bag.

Assemble the Éclairs

• Fill the éclairs by inserting a round tip into one end and piping the pastry cream inside, or slice them lengthwise and pipe in decorative swirls.

• Serve immediately, or chill briefly for an even better flavor and texture.

Tips

1. For the craquelin, don’t reduce the sugar—it’s meant to be slightly sweet for contrast. You can omit it entirely for a simpler choux shell.

2. Cool the dough to below 55°C (131°F) before adding eggs, but don’t let it go completely cold—it only takes 1–2 minutes to cool enough.

3. The amount of egg depends on dough consistency, not exact weight.

4. If your baking sheet isn’t nonstick, line it with parchment before piping.

5. If you can’t adjust top/bottom heat separately, bake at 190°C (375°F) for both to avoid collapsing bottoms.

6. Always leave the éclairs in the oven for 5 minutes after baking to help them set.

7. The 14-tooth tip with craquelin creates irregular vertical cracks. For a “turtle shell” crackle look, use a large round tip instead.