Éclair Cake
Éclair Cake
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry (Base)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Vanilla Custard (Filling)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
For the Chocolate Ganache (Topping)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a loaf pan (or similar rectangular pan, approximately 9x5 inches) on the parchment paper and trace its outline with a marker to create a guide for the choux pastry.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1/2 cup cubed butter. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add 1 cup all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a sturdy spatula until a thick paste forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return the saucepan to low heat and continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to dry out the dough.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Let it cool slightly for about 5-10 minutes. While the dough cools, crack 4 large eggs into a separate small bowl.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Add the eggs one at a time to the dough, mixing thoroughly with a fork or spatula after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough becomes a smooth, thick batter. Ensure each egg is completely mixed in before adding the next.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe the choux pastry onto the parchment paper within the traced outline. Pipe a border and then fill the inside with diagonal lines. Use an offset spatula to gently spread the pastry into an even, thin layer within the outline. The goal is for it to stay thin and even, not to puff up significantly.
⏱️ 10 min
- 7
Bake the choux pastry in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown and cooked through. The pastry should be crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, carefully cut the baked choux pastry in half lengthwise to create two equal rectangular layers.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400
- 8
While the choux pastry bakes, prepare the vanilla custard. Pour 2 cups milk into a medium saucepan. Split 1 vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both the vanilla bean pod and the scraped seeds to the milk. Simmer the milk and vanilla bean mixture over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling (small bubbles will form around the edges).
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
In a separate mixing bowl, combine 4 large egg yolks, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Temper the egg yolk mixture: slowly pour about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while continuously whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once combined, pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Whisk continuously over medium heat until the custard thickens significantly and large bubbles appear on the surface, indicating it has cooked. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Stir in 1/2 cup cubed butter until it is fully melted and incorporated, resulting in a smooth and glossy custard. Remove the vanilla bean pod. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and let it cool slightly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Prepare the chocolate ganache. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream in a microwave or small saucepan until hot (just before boiling). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit for about 1 minute, then stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Assemble the éclair cake. Place one layer of the baked choux pastry into a rectangular baking pan (the same one used for tracing, or similar in size). Pour the prepared vanilla custard evenly over the choux pastry layer. Use a spatula to spread it out smoothly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 15
Place the second layer of baked choux pastry on top of the custard. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top choux pastry layer, spreading it evenly to cover the entire surface.
⏱️ 5 min
- 16
Refrigerate the éclair cake for at least 2 hours, or until the ganache is set and the cake is thoroughly chilled. Once chilled, cut the cake into individual squares and serve.
⏱️ 120 min
Kitchen Tools
Éclair Cake
For the Choux Pastry (Base)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
For the Vanilla Custard (Filling)
- 2 cups milk
- 1 vanilla bean
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
For the Chocolate Ganache (Topping)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place a loaf pan (or similar rectangular pan, approximately 9x5 inches) on the parchment paper and trace its outline with a marker to create a guide for the choux pastry.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 400 - 2
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1/2 cup cubed butter. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately add 1 cup all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a sturdy spatula until a thick paste forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Return the saucepan to low heat and continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to dry out the dough.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl. Let it cool slightly for about 5-10 minutes. While the dough cools, crack 4 large eggs into a separate small bowl.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Add the eggs one at a time to the dough, mixing thoroughly with a fork or spatula after each addition until fully incorporated and the dough becomes a smooth, thick batter. Ensure each egg is completely mixed in before adding the next.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe the choux pastry onto the parchment paper within the traced outline. Pipe a border and then fill the inside with diagonal lines. Use an offset spatula to gently spread the pastry into an even, thin layer within the outline. The goal is for it to stay thin and even, not to puff up significantly.
⏱️ 10 min - 7
Bake the choux pastry in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown and cooked through. The pastry should be crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, carefully cut the baked choux pastry in half lengthwise to create two equal rectangular layers.
⏱️ 25 min•🌡️ 400 - 8
While the choux pastry bakes, prepare the vanilla custard. Pour 2 cups milk into a medium saucepan. Split 1 vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add both the vanilla bean pod and the scraped seeds to the milk. Simmer the milk and vanilla bean mixture over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling (small bubbles will form around the edges).
⏱️ 10 min - 9
In a separate mixing bowl, combine 4 large egg yolks, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and pale yellow.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Temper the egg yolk mixture: slowly pour about half of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while continuously whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Once combined, pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Whisk continuously over medium heat until the custard thickens significantly and large bubbles appear on the surface, indicating it has cooked. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Stir in 1/2 cup cubed butter until it is fully melted and incorporated, resulting in a smooth and glossy custard. Remove the vanilla bean pod. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and let it cool slightly.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Prepare the chocolate ganache. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream in a microwave or small saucepan until hot (just before boiling). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let the mixture sit for about 1 minute, then stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Assemble the éclair cake. Place one layer of the baked choux pastry into a rectangular baking pan (the same one used for tracing, or similar in size). Pour the prepared vanilla custard evenly over the choux pastry layer. Use a spatula to spread it out smoothly.
⏱️ 5 min - 15
Place the second layer of baked choux pastry on top of the custard. Pour the chocolate ganache over the top choux pastry layer, spreading it evenly to cover the entire surface.
⏱️ 5 min - 16
Refrigerate the éclair cake for at least 2 hours, or until the ganache is set and the cake is thoroughly chilled. Once chilled, cut the cake into individual squares and serve.
⏱️ 120 min