Best Homemade Eclairs

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Reduce heat to low and add flour all at once, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and glossy.

Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe 4-inch lengths onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each for expansion.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

Remove from oven and pierce each eclair with a skewer to release steam. Cool completely on a wire rack.

2. Make the Pastry Cream:

In a saucepan, heat milk until steaming but not boiling.

In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and pale.

Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and comes to a boil.

Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill completely in the refrigerator.

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the chilled pastry cream to lighten.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Baking Time: 35 minutes | Chilling Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes