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    Mini eclairs

    Jump to Recipe

    These mini eclairs are tiny bites of perfection. They're super easy to bake with my foolproof choux pastry recipe, then filled with vanilla cream and topped with silky dark chocolate.

    Finished serving of mini eclairs

    They're perfect to serve at a gathering, party or as a fun-size dessert!

    To make them, you'll start by melting butter with water, bringing to the boil, then beating in plain flour. This will then go into a bowl where you'll whisk in eggs until you have a lovely, glossy dough.

    Finished set of mini eclairs served on a wooden board.

    Don't worry if you've never made eclairs before, you'll learn plenty of tricks to get perfect choux pastry when you follow the full recipe below.

    Here's how to make my mini eclairs with vanilla cream.

    Ingredients

    For the éclairs

    • 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 65 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) plain white flour (all purpose flour) sieved
    • 2 medium free range eggs beaten

    For the filling

    • 600 ml (2½ cups) double cream (heavy cream)
    • 2 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)
    • 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste

    For the topping

    • 200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet) broken into pieces

    Equipment

    • Weighing scales
    • Measuring spoons
    • Saucepan
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Wooden spoon
    • Electric whisk
    • Piping bag
    • Straight 1cm piping nozzle
    • Small French tip nozzle
    • Large nonstick baking tray
    • Parchment/baking paper

    Instructions

    Make choux pastry dough

    Before you start, sift your flour three times. It sounds excessive, but it helps give light, well risen choux pastry.

    Put the butter, salt and cold 115ml (4 fl oz) water in a saucepan.

    Butter, salt and water in a pan.

    Heat very gently until the butter is melted. You don't want it to simmer or boil yet as you'll lose water, which will affect the recipe.

    Overhead shot of the salt, water and butter having been melted together on a low heat.

    One all the butter is melted, turn up the heat and bring to the boil.

    As soon as it's bubbling, turn off the heat and tip in the flour. Beat with a wooden spoon just until the mixture clings to the spoon. This should only take about 30 seconds.

    Overhead shot of the pastry for the mini eclairs.

    Tip the mixture straight into a clean bowl.

    Mini eclairs pastry in a clear glass bowl.

    Mix with an electric whisk for about a minute to help it cool.

    Overhead shot of the mini eclair pastry having been mixed with a hand mixer.

    Make sure that your eggs are well beaten. You'll then need to add them a tablespoon at a time while whisking, ensuring they are full incorporated before adding more. Take it slow as you might not need it all.

    Mini eclairs pastry having slowly added the eggs into the bowl.

    Keep adding a spoonful at a time with the mixer running. You are aiming for a smooth and glossy paste that will hold its shape, not a liquid. Ideally, you want a “reluctant drop” consistency, where a large scoop of mixture drops off the wooden spoon after 5 seconds - no more, no less.

    Overhead shot of the mini eclairs pastry in a large glass bowl.

    Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan, 350F). Fit a plain nozzle about 1cm diameter to your piping bag and fill with the choux pastry.

    Pipe and bake your eclairs

    Line your trays with baking paper and use a dab of choux pastry to stick them in place.

    Overhead shot of the baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.

    On a lightly greased baking tray, pipe thin lines of choux onto the lined baking sheet. They should be 6-8cm long and about the thickness of a pencil (1.25cm / 0.5 inch). Slow, smooth movement and even pressure should help achieve neat lines. You can trim tapered ends with a sharp, damp knife or dough scraper, if you like.

    Thin lines of choux from the mini eclairs pastry piped directly onto the greaceproof paper atop the baking tray.

    Bake the éclairs for 25-30 until puffed up and golden, even in the cracks.

    Overhead shot of the mini eclairs choax having been in the oven.

    Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

    Once cooled, use a sharp, serrated knife to halve the éclairs lengthways, separating the tops and bottoms.

    Overhead shot of the cut open mini eclairs on a wooden board with a knife on the side.

    If they're well cooked, you should see webbing inside without any dampness. If they're very soft or seem sticky inside, they need longer in the oven.

    Make sure to keep them organised in pairs so that you can put them back together after filling.

    Overhead shot of the cut open mini eclairs on a wooden board.

    Make the cream filling

    Put the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl.

    Cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl

    Whip to soft peaks.

    Overhead shot of the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl having been whisked together.

    Fit a piping bag with a small french tip nozzle, fill with the cream and pipe the cream in waves onto the lower halves of each of the éclairs.

    Overhead shot of the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl having been piped onto the choax pastry.

    Make the topping

    Put the broken chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

    Dark chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.

    Gently melt your chocolate. You can do this in the microwave in 30 second bursts. Alternatively, put the chocolate into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, above water level. Turn the heat low to melt the chocolate slowly, stirring all the time. Take off the heat.

    Overhead shot of the dark chocolate having been melted in the bowl.

    Dip the upper halves of the éclairs in chocolate, drain over the bowl, then pop onto of the eclairs.

    Overhead shot of the finished mini éclairs

    Allow to set, then serve as soon as possible.

    Side on shot of the finished mini éclairs on a wooden board.

    Print this mini eclairs recipe

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    5 from 1 vote

    Mini Eclairs Recipe

    These mini eclairs are tiny bites of perfection. They're super easy to bake with my foolproof choux pastry recipe, then filled with vanilla cream and topped with silky dark chocolate.
    Prep Time30 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time55 minutes mins
    Course: Desserts and sweet treats
    Cuisine: French
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 45 mini eclairs
    Author: Emily Leary

    Ingredients

    For the éclairs

    • 30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 65 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp) plain white flour (all purpose flour) sieved
    • 2 medium free range eggs beaten

    For the filling

    • 600 ml (2½ cups) double cream (heavy cream)
    • 2 tbsp icing sugar (powdered sugar)
    • 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste

    For the topping

    • 200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate (bittersweet) broken into pieces

    Equipment

    • Weighing scales
    • Measuring spoons
    • Saucepan
    • Large mixing bowl
    • Wooden spoon
    • Electric whisk
    • Piping bag
    • Straight 1cm piping nozzle
    • Small French tip nozzle
    • Large nonstick baking tray
    • Parchment/baking paper

    Instructions

    Make choux pastry dough

    • Before you start, sift your flour three times. It sounds excessive, but it helps give light, well risen choux pastry.
    • Put the butter, salt and 115ml (½ cup) cold water in a saucepan.
    • Heat very gently until the butter is melted. You don't want it to simmer or boil yet as you'll lose water, which will affect the recipe.
    • One all the butter is melted, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. As soon as it's bubbling, turn off the heat and tip in the flour. Beat with a wooden spoon just until the mixture clings to the spoon. This should only take about 30 seconds.
    • Tip the mixture straight into a clean bowl. Mix with an electric whisk for about a minute to help it cool.
    • Make sure that your eggs are well beaten. You'll then need to add them a tablespoon at a time while whisking, ensuring they are full incorporated before adding more. Take it slow as you might not need it all.
    • Keep adding a spoonful at a time with the mixer running. You are aiming for a smooth and glossy paste that will hold its shape, not a liquid. Ideally, you want a “reluctant drop” consistency, where a large scoop of mixture drops off the wooden spoon after 5 seconds - no more, no less.
    • Preheat the oven to 190C (170C fan, 350F). Fit a plain nozzle about 1cm diameter to your piping bag and fill with the choux pastry.

    Pipe and bake your eclairs

    • Line your trays with baking paper and use a dab of choux pastry to stick them in place.
    • On a lightly greased baking tray, pipe thin lines of choux onto the lined baking sheet. They should be 6-8cm long and about the thickness of a pencil (1¼cm / ½ inch). Slow, smooth movement and even pressure should help achieve neat lines. You can trim tapered ends with a sharp, damp knife or dough scraper, if you like.
    • Bake the éclairs for 25-30 until puffed up and golden, even in the cracks.
    • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
    • Once cooled, use a sharp, serrated knife to halve the éclairs lengthways, separating the tops and bottoms. If they're well cooked, you should see webbing inside without any dampness. If they're very soft or seem sticky inside, they need longer in the oven. Make sure to keep them organised in pairs so that you can put them back together after filling.

    Make the cream filling

    • Put the cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Whip to soft peaks.
    • Fit a piping bag with a small french tip nozzle, fill with the cream and pipe the cream in waves onto the lower halves of each of the éclairs.

    Make the topping

    • Put the broken chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
    • Gently melt your chocolate. You can do this in the microwave in 30 second bursts. Alternatively, put the chocolate into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, above water level. Turn the heat low to melt the chocolate slowly, stirring all the time. Take off the heat.
    • Dip the upper halves of the éclairs in chocolate, drain over the bowl, then pop onto of the eclairs.
    • Allow to set, then serve as soon as possible.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
    * Note: nutritional information is estimated, based on publicly available data. Nutrient values may vary from those published. Information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. Cuisines identify the primary region of inspiration for a dish.
    Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @amummytoo on Instagram or tag @EmilyLearyCooks on Twitter. I can't wait to see your posts!

    If you enjoyed this recipe consider trying my easy apple pear crumble or my carrot cake pancakes.

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