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Eclairs

These long, puffy buns are filled with cream and topped with rich chocolate icing. The buns are made with choux pastry, which is made by bringing butter and water to the boil, tipping in the flour and then beating in the eggs.

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Ingredients 10 ingredients

  1. 75 g (2½ oz / ⅔ stick) butter, diced
  2. 200 ml (7 fl oz / ¾ cup) water
  3. Salt
  4. 100 g (4 oz / ¾ cup) strong plain flour
  5. 3 eggs, beaten
  6. 250 ml (9 fl oz / 1 cup) double or whipping cream
  7. 100 g (4 oz / ½ cup) caster sugar
  8. 100 ml (3½ oz / ⅜ cup) water
  9. 50 g (2 oz) dark chocolate
  10. 25 g (1 oz / ¼ stick) unsalted butter

Possible health benefits

General information, not medical advice.

  1. Chicken egg High in vitamin D · High in riboflavin · High in vitamin B12 · +9

    High in vitamin D · 2.0 µg per 100 g, 40% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin D contributes to normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus.
    • Vitamin D contributes to normal blood calcium levels.
    • Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    4 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function.
    • Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.
    • Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin D has a role in the process of cell division.

    Vitamin D is a nutrient you need for good health. It helps your body absorb calcium, one of the main building blocks for strong bones. NIH fact sheet

    High in riboflavin · 0.5 mg per 100 g, 33% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Riboflavin contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Riboflavin contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
    6 more authorised claims
    • Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal red blood cells.
    • Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
    • Riboflavin contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
    • Riboflavin contributes to the normal metabolism of iron.
    • Riboflavin contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
    • Riboflavin contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

    Riboflavin (also called vitamin B2) is important for the growth, development, and function of the cells in your body. It also helps turn the food you eat into the energy you need. NIH fact sheet

    High in vitamin B12 · 0.9 µg per 100 g, 36% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Vitamin B12 contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Vitamin B12 contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin B12 contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Vitamin B12 contributes to normal red blood cell formation.
    • Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin B12 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Vitamin B12 has a role in the process of cell division.

    Vitamin B12 is a nutrient that helps keep your body’s blood and nerve cells healthy and helps make DNA, the genetic material in all of your cells. NIH fact sheet

    High in selenium · 31 µg per 100 g, 56% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Selenium contributes to normal spermatogenesis.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
    • Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.
    3 more authorised claims
    • Selenium contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Selenium contributes to the normal thyroid function.
    • Selenium contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.

    Selenium is a nutrient that the body needs to stay healthy. Your thyroid gland needs selenium to produce hormones and function properly. NIH fact sheet

    High in protein · 13 g per 100 g, 35% of the energy from protein

    • Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Source of vitamin A · 160 µg per 100 g, 20% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin A contributes to normal iron metabolism.
    • Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal mucous membranes.
    • Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
    3 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision.
    • Vitamin A contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin A has a role in the process of cell specialisation.

    Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system, reproduction, and growth and development. NIH fact sheet

    Source of folate · 47 µg per 100 g, 24% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Folate contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy.
    • Folate contributes to normal amino acid synthesis.
    • Folate contributes to normal blood formation.
    5 more authorised claims
    • Folate contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
    • Folate contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Folate contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Folate contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Folate has a role in the process of cell division.

    Folate is a B-vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate to make DNA and other genetic material. NIH fact sheet

    Source of pantothenic acid · 1.5 mg per 100 g, 26% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Pantothenic acid contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance.
    • Pantothenic acid contributes to normal synthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones, vitamin D and some neurotransmitters.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Pantothenic acid contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.

    Pantothenic acid (also called vitamin B5) helps turn the food you eat into the energy you need. It’s important for many functions in the body, especially making and breaking down fats. NIH fact sheet

    Source of phosphorus · 198 mg per 100 g, 28% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Phosphorus contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Phosphorus contributes to normal function of cell membranes.
    • Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.
    1 more authorised claims
    • Phosphorus contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth.

    Phosphorus is a mineral contained in each cell in our body. Most phosphorus is in the bones and teeth, and some is in your genes. NIH fact sheet

    Source of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) · 58 mg per 100 g, at least 40 mg per 100 g and per 100 kcal

    • EPA and DHA contribute to the normal function of the heart. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA.

    The three main omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found mainly in plant oils such as flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils. NIH fact sheet

    Contains DHA · 58 mg per 100 g, at least 40 mg per 100 g and per 100 kcal

    • DHA contributes to maintenance of normal brain function. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.
    • DHA contributes to the maintenance of normal vision. The beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of DHA.

    The three main omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is found mainly in plant oils such as flaxseed, soybean, and canola oils. NIH fact sheet

    Contains choline · 294 mg per 100 g, at least 82.5 mg per 100 g

    • Choline contributes to normal homocysteine metabolism.
    • Choline contributes to normal lipid metabolism.
    • Choline contributes to the maintenance of normal liver function.

    Choline is a nutrient that is found in many foods. Your brain and nervous system need it to regulate memory, mood, muscle control, and other functions. NIH fact sheet

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Egg, whole, raw, fresh”, USDA FoodData Central.

Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Blending hot liquid. Let it cool a little first, fill the blender no more than a third, and hold the lid down with a folded towel. Start on the lowest speed. A stick blender in the pan is safer.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / Gas 6.
  2. Place the butter, water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon as the butter melts. Meanwhile, sift the flour into a small bowl.
  3. When the butter has melted, turn up the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Switch off the heat and quickly tip the flour into the saucepan. Immediately beat the flour into the liquid with the wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients together. Stop beating when the mixture swells into a smooth dough that comes away from the sides of the saucepan. This should take only a few seconds.
  4. Let the mixture cool for 3–4 minutes. Pour in a little of the beaten egg into the flour mixture and beat it in well. Keep adding and beating in the egg, a little at a time, until the dough looks thick, smooth and shiny and still holds its shape well. You may not need the last two or three tablespoonfuls of egg if your eggs are large.
  5. Spoon the mixture into a large freezer bag or a piping bag (you'll need to scrape it out of the pan with a flexible spatula). Fold down the top of the bag to squeeze the dough to the bottom. Snip off one of the bottom corners of the bag to give you a hole about 1 cm long.
  6. Line two flat baking sheets with baking parchment. Squeeze the mixture into chipolata-sized sausage shapes on to the parchment, allowing about 4 cm between each one (they will at least double in size in the oven). You should be able to make about 12.
  7. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven, and bake for about 30 minutes. Take the éclairs out when they are puffed up, golden brown all over, and feel hard when you poke one with a knife.
  8. Immediately take each éclair off the baking sheet—they will be very hot, so wear oven gloves—and, with the point of a knife, gently slit the side to let out the steam. Otherwise, the steam sits trapped in the éclair and turns back to water, leaving you with a soggy bun.
  9. Leave éclairs to cool and dry out on a wire rack.
  10. Whip the cream in a small bowl until it is just thick enough to hold its shape.
  11. Place whipped cream in the fridge while you make the chocolate icing.
  12. For the icing, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a low heat. Heat gently, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar.
  13. Bring to the boil, and boil fast for three minutes. Switch off the heat and wait for a few minutes for the syrup to cool down (you can speed this up by dipping the base of the pan in a bowl of cold water if you like).
  14. Break up the chocolate and cut the butter into chunks.
  15. When the syrup is very warm, rather than very hot, add the chocolate and butter. Stir until both have melted and blended to a smooth, glossy sauce.
  16. Leave to cool, stirring occasionally. When the sauce starts to thicken, it's time to ice your éclairs.
  17. When the buns are cool, use a teaspoon or a piping bag to fill the inside of each éclair with whipped cream (you may need to enlarge the slit you made before).
  18. Take a different teaspoon and smear the chocolate icing generously over each éclair.
  19. Leave the éclairs on the wire rack until the icing has set. In the unlikely event that you're not going to eat them straight away, you can put them in the fridge for a few hours.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Baking tray
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Blender
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Wooden spoon
  • Spatula
  • Sieve
Source CC-BY-SA-4.0
Credit

"Eclairs" from the Wikibooks Cookbook (https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Eclairs, revision 4587191), by its contributors (https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Cookbook:Eclairs&action=history), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).

Revision 4587191

What was changed: Reformatted by FoodByNation from the wiki page: ingredients and steps extracted, links and templates removed, diet notes detected from the ingredients. This adaptation is also licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.