Vanilla Custard Eclairs

Recipe card

Vanilla Custard Eclairs

Prep 45 minCook 35 minTotal 2 hr 20 minYield 12 eclairs

Adjust recipe Half batchOriginal batchDouble batchOnly numbered ingredient amounts change.

Equipment: Saucepan, whisk, piping bag, baking tray

Ingredients

240 ml water 100 g butter for choux 1 pinch salt 125 g all-purpose flour for choux 4 whole eggs for choux 500 ml milk 4 whole egg yolks for custard 150 g sugar 50 g cornstarch 1 tsp vanilla extract 50 g butter for custard

Instructions

1. Choux

   Bring water, choux butter and salt to a boil. Add flour at once and stir over heat until a dough ball forms; cool 10 minutes.

2. Eggs and pipe

   Beat eggs in one by one until the dough falls in a thick ribbon; pipe twelve 10 cm strips onto a lined tray.

3. Bake

   Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 20 to 25 minutes until deep gold and dry; pierce a small vent and cool completely.

4. Custard

   Whisk yolks, sugar and cornstarch. Temper with hot milk, return to pot and whisk until thick and bubbling; remove heat and stir in vanilla and custard butter. Chill promptly.

5. Fill

   Whisk cold custard smooth, pipe into cold shells and refrigerate until serving.

How to tell when it is ready

Choux shells dry and hollow; custard thick and fully cooked.

Tips

• Cook the flour paste until it pulls from the pot.
• Add eggs only after paste cools slightly.
• Bake shells until dry, not merely pale gold.
• Chill custard promptly before filling.

Troubleshooting

• If shells collapse, bake them drier and vent steam.
• If custard has lumps, whisk vigorously while hot and strain before chilling.

Substitutions

• Use cornstarch instead of the source flour option for a smoother filling.
• Use a comparable vanilla paste for extract.

Variations

• Pipe round profiteroles with the same pastry.
• Fold melted dark chocolate into cooled custard for a different filling.

Serving suggestions

• Serve cool with tea.
• Dust lightly with powdered sugar.
• Pair with fresh berries.
• Offer after a family dinner.

Make ahead

Prepare the measured ingredients in advance. Keep filled eclairs refrigerated and eat within 2 days.

Storage

Keep filled eclairs refrigerated and eat within 2 days.

Food safety

Cook egg custard until thick and bubbling and refrigerate promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my eclairs flatten?

They likely needed more baking and drying before leaving the oven.

How should I store vanilla custard eclairs?

Keep filled eclairs refrigerated and eat within 2 days.

Serve cool with tea. Keep filled eclairs refrigerated and eat within 2 days.