Giant Chocolate Eclair
Giant Chocolate Eclair is an elegant bakery-style dessert featuring light and airy choux pastry filled with luscious cream and topped with rich chocolate ganache. This oversized éclair recipe delivers classic French pastry flavor in a stunning homemade dessert perfect for celebrations, holidays, and special occasions.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
For the Filling
- 1½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 package instant vanilla pudding or 2 cups pastry cream
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 6 ounces dark or milk chocolate
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt over medium heat until the butter melts.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then add the flour all at once.
- Stir vigorously until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove from heat and let the dough cool slightly.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough becomes smooth and glossy.
- Spread or pipe the dough into a large rectangular or oval shape on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
- Allow the pastry shell to cool completely.
- Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft peaks form.
- Prepare the pudding or pastry cream according to package directions if using instant pudding.
- Fold the whipped cream into the pudding or pastry cream mixture.
- Slice the cooled pastry shell horizontally and fill with the cream mixture.
- Melt the chocolate with heavy cream to create a smooth ganache.
- Spread the chocolate ganache over the top of the filled pastry.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
Avoid opening the oven too early while baking to prevent the pastry from collapsing.Let the pastry cool completely before adding the filling.Use dark chocolate for a richer ganache flavor or milk chocolate for extra sweetness.Chill before serving for cleaner slices and the best texture.Add berries, caramel drizzle, or chopped nuts for extra flavor and decoration.
Find it online: https://cookibly.com/giant-chocolate-eclair/
