James Martin Chocolate Eclairs

These James Martin chocolate éclairs are crisp, golden choux buns filled with a silky vanilla cream and finished with a glossy dark chocolate topping. You get that classic contrast of light pastry, rich filling, and a proper chocolate snap on top. They are a confident “weekend bake” rather than a five-minute job, but every step is straightforward if you follow the timings. Total time is about 1 hour 45 minutes, including cooling and chilling.

Ingredients

For the choux pastry

• 125ml water
• 125ml whole milk
• 100g unsalted butter, diced
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 150g plain flour
• 4 large eggs, beaten (plus 1 extra egg if needed)

For the vanilla diplomat cream filling

• 500ml whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1 vanilla pod)
• 5 large egg yolks
• 100g caster sugar
• 40g cornflour
• 40g unsalted butter
• 200ml double cream, cold

For the chocolate glaze

• 150g dark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped
• 120ml double cream
• 15g unsalted butter
• Icing sugar, to finish (optional)

How to Make James Martin Chocolate Eclairs

Prepare the oven and trays

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Line two flat baking trays with baking parchment and set a shelf in the middle of the oven for even heat.
• Get a piping bag ready: Fit a large plain nozzle (about 1.5–2cm). If you do not have one, you can still pipe with a snipped bag, but the shapes will be less neat.

Make the choux pastry

• Boil the liquids: Add the water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan. Heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a full boil.
• Beat in the flour: Take the pan off the heat, tip in the flour all at once, and beat hard with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides.
• Dry out the dough: Put the pan back on a low to medium heat and keep beating for 1 to 2 minutes. You are looking for a thin film on the bottom of the pan. This step helps the éclairs puff and stay crisp.
• Cool slightly: Tip the dough into a mixing bowl and leave for 3 to 5 minutes so it is no longer piping hot.
• Add the eggs gradually: Beat in the eggs a little at a time, mixing well after each addition until the paste is smooth and glossy. The right texture is when it drops from a spoon in a thick V shape. If it feels too stiff, beat in a little more beaten egg from an extra egg.

Pipe and bake

• Pipe the éclairs: Pipe 10 lines, each about 12cm long, spacing them well apart. Use a damp fingertip to smooth down any sharp peaks.
• Bake until crisp: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until well risen and deep golden. Avoid opening the oven door for at least the first 20 minutes.
• Release steam: Remove from the oven and immediately poke a small hole in each éclair (in the side or underside) to let steam escape. This helps stop them going soggy.

Cool the shells

• Cool completely: Transfer the éclairs to a wire rack and let them cool fully before filling. If they are even slightly warm, the cream will melt and loosen.
• Prep for filling: Once cool, split each éclair lengthways with a serrated knife, keeping the top and bottom aligned like a lid.

Make the vanilla diplomat cream filling

• Heat the milk: Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the vanilla. Heat until steaming hot, but not boiling.
• Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornflour: In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar for 30 seconds, then whisk in the cornflour until smooth.
• Temper, then thicken: Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then pour everything back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling. Keep whisking for 30 seconds once it bubbles to cook out the cornflour taste.
• Finish and chill: Take off the heat, whisk in the butter, then spread the pastry cream into a shallow dish. Cover the surface with cling film (touching the cream) and chill until cold.
• Lighten with whipped cream: Whip the cold double cream to soft peaks. Whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth, then fold in the whipped cream to make a light, pipeable diplomat cream.

Make the chocolate glaze and assemble

• Make the glaze: Put the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the double cream until just simmering, then pour it over the chocolate. Leave for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Stir in the butter for shine.
• Fill the éclairs: Spoon or pipe the diplomat cream into the bases, then place the tops back on gently.
• Glaze the tops: Dip the top of each éclair into the warm glaze, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place on a rack or tray to set.
• Chill to set: Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes so the glaze firms up. Dust with icing sugar just before serving if you like.

Tips

Why did my éclairs collapse after baking?

This usually happens if the oven door is opened too early or the shells were underbaked. Bake until they are a deep golden colour and feel light for their size, then pierce them straight away to release steam.

How do I know the choux has the right amount of egg?

Stop when the paste is glossy and falls from a spoon in a thick V shape. If it is stiff and holds a peak, it needs a bit more egg. If it is runny and spreads flat when piped, it has too much egg and will not hold its shape.

How can I keep the shells crisp?

Dry the dough on the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, bake fully, and always pierce the shells to let steam escape. If your kitchen is warm, you can pop the cooled shells into a switched-off oven for 5 minutes to re-dry them before filling.

Why is my chocolate topping dull or streaky?

If the cream was too hot or you stirred too aggressively, the glaze can lose its shine. Let the cream reach just-simmering, then leave it sitting on the chocolate for 2 minutes before stirring gently until smooth.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with strong coffee or espresso for a proper pâtisserie-style treat.
• Add fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries on the side to cut through the richness.
• Turn them into a dessert plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and extra warm chocolate sauce.
• For a dinner-party finish, sprinkle the glaze with toasted hazelnuts or cocoa nibs while it is still wet.

Storage

Room temperature

Éclairs are best eaten the day they are filled. If your room is cool (and you have a very stable cream filling), you can keep them for up to 4 hours, but they will soften as they sit.

Refrigerator

Store filled éclairs in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The shells will lose some crispness, but the flavour is still excellent. For the neatest finish, glaze shortly before serving if you can.

Freezing

Freeze unfilled choux shells only. Once completely cool, freeze in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature, then refresh in a 180°C fan oven for 5 to 7 minutes to crisp up, cool again, and fill fresh.

Nutrition

• Calories: 360 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 28g
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 25g
• Saturated fat: 15g
• Sodium: 180mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on exact ingredients, brands, and portion size.

FAQs

James Martin Chocolate Eclairs

Recipe by Milli Rose

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: French, BritishDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

10

éclairs

Prep time

35

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

105

minutes

Calories

360

kcal

1

hour 

5

minutes

Crisp choux pastry éclairs filled with smooth vanilla diplomat cream and topped with a glossy dark chocolate glaze. A classic patisserie-style bake you can make at home.

Ingredients

• Choux pastry

• 125ml water

• 125ml whole milk

• 100g unsalted butter, diced

• 1 tsp caster sugar

• 1/2 tsp fine salt

• 150g plain flour

• 4 large eggs, beaten (plus 1 extra if needed)

• Vanilla diplomat cream filling

• 500ml whole milk

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or seeds of 1 vanilla pod)

• 5 large egg yolks

• 100g caster sugar

• 40g cornflour

• 40g unsalted butter

• 200ml double cream, cold

• Chocolate glaze

• 150g dark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped

• 120ml double cream

• 15g unsalted butter

• Icing sugar, to finish (optional)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) and line 2 trays with baking parchment.
• Make the choux: bring water, milk, butter, sugar and salt to the boil; beat in flour, then dry the panade for 1–2 minutes.
• Cool slightly, then beat in eggs until smooth and pipeable; pipe 10 éclairs.
• Bake 25–30 minutes until crisp and deeply golden; cool fully and split.
• Make pastry cream; chill, then fold through whipped cream to make diplomat cream.
• Fill éclairs, dip tops in warm chocolate glaze, and chill 20–30 minutes to set.

Notes

• Do not open the oven for the first 20 minutes or the choux may collapse.
• For neat éclairs, use a 1.5–2cm plain piping tip and keep the piping bag at a low angle.
• Let the glaze cool slightly before dipping so it coats thickly instead of running off.