Experience the delight of a truly homemade éclair, where classic French technique meets the bright, sunny flavor of fresh strawberries. This recipe guides you through each component: the crisp, hollow pâte à choux shell, the rich and fruity strawberry pastry cream filling, and the simple, stunning strawberry glaze.
The result is a sophisticated pastry that balances sweetness and tang, with a beautiful presentation that rivals any bakery. Mastering these éclairs is a rewarding baking project that yields impressive results.
The Science of the Shell & A Stable Fruit Filling
The foundation of a great éclair is perfect pâte à choux. The magic lies in the high moisture content that turns to steam in the oven, forcing the pastry to puff and create a hollow center. The key is cooking the flour-water-butter mixture thoroughly on the stove to gelatinize the starch, which allows the dough to absorb more eggs and rise properly.
For the strawberry pastry cream (crème pâtissière), the challenge is incorporating real fruit flavor while maintaining a thick, pipeable consistency. Using a concentrated strawberry puree—cooked down to remove excess water—and reinforcing the structure with cornstarch ensures the cream sets firmly without being gummy. This prevents a soggy shell and delivers a clean, flavorful bite.
Ingredients
For the Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux):
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
For the Strawberry Pastry Cream:
- 1 ½ cups (about 8 oz) fresh strawberries, hulled
- 2 cups (480ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30g) cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoons reduced strawberry puree (from pastry cream step) or strawberry jam
- 1-2 teaspoons milk or cream
Instructions
1. Make the Strawberry Puree Base: Blend the hulled strawberries until completely smooth. Press the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan to remove seeds. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until reduced to about ¼ cup of thick, concentrated puree. Set aside to cool. (This will be used in both the pastry cream and glaze).
2. Bake the Choux Pastry Shells: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and immediately add all the sifted flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes to dry the dough slightly.
Transfer to a mixing bowl. Cool for 5 minutes. Using a mixer or strong arm, add eggs one at a time, beating fully after each until dough is smooth and glossy. Pipe 4-inch logs onto prepared sheets.
Bake 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake 20-25 minutes more until deeply golden and hollow-sounding. Pierce each shell with a skewer to release steam. Cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Prepare the Strawberry Pastry Cream: In a medium saucepan, heat the milk until just simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk in egg yolks until thick and pale. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Return everything to the saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and large bubbles break the surface. Boil for 1 full minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the cold butter, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of the cooled strawberry puree. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill until completely cold and set, at least 4 hours.
4. Fill the Éclair Shells: Once shells and cream are cold, transfer the strawberry pastry cream to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (like a Bismarck tip). Poke three holes along the bottom of each éclair shell. Gently pipe the cream into the shell until it feels heavy and full.
5. Glaze the Éclairs: For the glaze, whisk the sifted powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of the remaining strawberry puree (or jam) and 1 teaspoon of milk. Add more puree/milk as needed until a thick but pourable glaze forms. Dip the top of each filled éclair into the glaze, letting the excess drip off.
6. Serve & Store: Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 6 hours. The éclairs are best consumed the day they are filled. Unfilled shells can be frozen for up to a month.
Pro-Tips for Professional-Quality Éclairs
- Measure Flour by Weight: For choux pastry, accuracy is critical. Use a scale for the flour to guarantee the correct dough consistency.
- Don’t Open the Oven: Resist the temptation to open the oven during the first 25 minutes of baking, or the shells may collapse from a sudden temperature drop.
- Dry the Dough: Cooking the dough on the stove after adding the flour is essential to evaporate excess moisture and allows the eggs to be properly absorbed.
- Chill Cream Thoroughly: The pastry cream must be completely cold and firm before piping, or it will be too runny to fill the shells neatly.
- Fill Just Before Serving: To maintain the shell’s crispness, fill and glaze the éclairs no more than a few hours before serving.
- Customize the Glaze: For an even shinier, more professional glaze, replace the milk in the glaze with a simple syrup or add a tiny bit of light corn syrup.
These Strawberry Crème Éclairs transform simple ingredients into a show-stopping, delicious testament to patisserie skill.
