Mar 5, 20192 min read

Vanilla-Caramel Éclairs

Everyone will love this dessert which combines the luscious flavours of chocolate and vanilla caramel cream.

In this vanilla eclair recipe, you will get crispy eclairs on the outside filled with a luscious and sweet vanilla caramel pastry cream. The perfect dessert for parties, birthdays and holidays.

Ingredients

Serves 12

For Vanilla Caramel Crème

220g caster sugar
80 ml water
450 ml milk
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
5 egg yolks
45g cornflour
60 ml whipping cream, whipped

For Choux Pastry

75g butter, coarsely chopped
185 ml water
110g plain flour
3 large eggs

For Chocolate Glaze

165g icing sugar
120 ml water
140g dark chocolate (55% cocoa solids), finely chopped
70 ml whipping cream

Method

Make Vanilla Caramel Crème

1. In a saucepan, stir 150g powdered sugar and water over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook, without stirring, until light caramel (3-4 minutes). Remove from heat, add milk and vanilla seed. Return to heat and whisk to combine.

2. Meanwhile, whisk yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl until pale (2-3 minute). Add cornflour and whisk to combine.

3. Strain milk mixture over egg mixture, whisking continuously. Return the mixture to the pan and whisk continuously over medium heat until thick and smooth (2-3 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and add the whipped cream. Leave to cool. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate.

Make Choux Pastry

4. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F/gas mark 5). Line with baking paper an oven tray.

5. In a saucepan, bring butter and water to the boil over medium-high heat. Add flour; beat continuously until mixture is thick and smooth (1 minute). Remove from heat and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a 12 mm plain nozzle and pipe into 10 cm lengths on a prepared oven tray, leaving space between each for pastry to puff.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Reduce heat to 175°C (350°F/ gas mark 3). Bake until golden. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Make the Chocolate Caramel Glaze

8. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar and 60 ml water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cook, without stirring, until light caramel. Remove from heat. Add cream, the rest of water and chocolate. Return to heat. Stir until smooth and combined. Set aside and keep warm.

To Assembly

9. Halve éclairs horizontally with a bread knife. Carefully dip tops in chocolate glaze and place on a tray to set. Transfer vanilla-caramel crème to a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle, pipe over éclair bases, sandwich with tops and serve.