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The dessert, French classic

Coffee éclairs

Coffee éclairs are a classic choux pastry dessert filled with coffee pastry cream and topped with fondant icing, making twelve éclairs for 6 people. They take 70 minutes of active work spread over the day before, the morning, and just before guests arrive, rated medium difficulty at €1.90 per person. Success depends on drying the choux pastry properly and getting a well balanced coffee flavor in the cream.

Little golden éclairs, filled with coffee pastry cream and topped with fondant icing, it's bakery style pastry right in your kitchen.

Coffee éclairs
For
6 people
Work
1 h 10
Total time
3 h 30
Prep
Prepared the day before
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
360 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Under the crisp, golden shell, the coffee pastry cream runs smooth and rich, while the fondant on top adds just enough sweetness to balance the coffee's bitterness. This is the pastry everyone associates with a good bakery, the one that takes a bit of technique but always impresses on a dessert table.

It's the perfect dessert for a family dinner or a gathering with friends when you want to make an impression without being stuck in the kitchen on the day. The entire base comes together the day before, leaving only the filling and icing to finish calmly before guests arrive. It pairs well with a fairly simple menu, easy starter and main, so the dessert gets to shine.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before 3 steps, 1 h 15
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 15 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

The day before, make and bake the choux pastry, then prepare the coffee pastry cream and let everything cool in the fridge. In the morning, poke holes in the éclairs and pipe in the cream. Just before guests arrive, make the fondant and ice each éclair, then keep them chilled until dessert time, taking them out ten minutes ahead so the cream turns creamier.

The ingredients

6 people

Pantry

  • Wateroften in the pantry 12.5 cl
  • Flouroften in the pantry 140 g
  • Sugar for the creamoften in the pantry 100 g
  • Cornstarchoften in the pantry 45 g
  • Coffee extract 3 tbsp
  • Powdered sugaroften in the pantry 250 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Milk for the choux 12.5 cl
  • Butter 100 g
  • Eggs 4
  • Milk for the cream 50 cl
  • Egg yolks 5

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The day beforeWhat's better after resting overnight in the fridge.

  1. Bring the water, milk, butter and salt to a boil, add the flour all at once, dry out the dough, mix in the eggs one by one, then pipe twelve four inch éclairs with a star tip. 30 min

    Score them with a damp fork, they puff up evenly and keep a nice shape.

  2. Bake the éclairs at 180°C without ever opening the oven, then let them dry out in the switched off oven and store them in a container. 30 min

    The éclairs are done when golden and light, otherwise they'll collapse.

  3. Make the pastry cream with the milk, yolks, sugar and cornstarch, flavor it with coffee extract, press plastic wrap directly on the surface and let it cool. 15 min

    Taste the cream and add coffee to your liking, the flavor should come through clearly.

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Poke three small holes under each éclair and pipe in the cream.

    Fill until the éclair feels a bit heavier, that's how you know it's full.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Mix the powdered sugar with a spoonful of coffee extract and a little hot water into a thick fondant, then glaze the top of each éclair with your fingertip. 15 min

    The fondant should coat the back of a spoon, add water drop by drop.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Arrange the éclairs on a platter and keep them chilled until dessert.

    Take them out ten minutes ahead, the cream will be creamier.

Our tips to get it right

  • Weigh the flour precisely and add the eggs one at a time while checking the batter's texture, it should form a soft ribbon that falls slowly off the spatula.
  • Use a piping bag with a star tip to shape the éclairs, the ridges help the pastry puff evenly and give that classic striped look.
  • Make the fondant right before icing, it hardens fast once exposed to air, work quickly and glaze with one smooth pass of your finger without going over it twice.

The variations

  • Swap the coffee extract for melted chocolate in both the cream and the fondant for classic chocolate éclairs instead.
  • For a quicker version, fill the éclairs with store bought coffee flavored pastry cream and finish with a simple icing of powdered sugar and instant coffee.
  • For kids, make a vanilla version with no coffee, using classic pastry cream and a fondant simply flavored with vanilla.

What to serve it with

  • A strong espresso or coffee
  • Fresh fruit salad beforehand
  • Black tea alongside

Storage

Filled éclairs keep for 2 days in the fridge in a closed container. The baked, empty choux shells freeze very well, to be filled on the day you plan to serve them. Avoid freezing éclairs that are already filled, the cream doesn't hold up well to thawing.

Questions about this recipe

Why didn't my choux pastry puff up properly while baking?

The batter was probably too runny, or the oven door was opened during baking. Dry the dough thoroughly on the stove before adding the eggs, and never open the oven until the pastries have fully puffed.

Can I use instant coffee instead of coffee extract?

Yes, dissolve a teaspoon of instant coffee in a bit of hot water and use that instead of the extract, adjusting the amount of liquid in the cream accordingly.

How do I get a smooth, shiny fondant finish on the éclairs?

Gently warm the fondant over a double boiler without going above 37 degrees, then ice with one quick, even pass of your finger, without going over the same spot twice.

How many éclairs should I plan per person for 6 guests?

The recipe makes twelve éclairs for 6 people, so two per person, which is plenty at the end of an already generous meal.

Can coffee éclairs be made ahead?

Yes, it's even recommended. The recipe needs 1 h 10 of work in total, split up like this, the day before, 3 steps, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make coffee éclairs?

Allow 3 h 30 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 1 h 10 is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in coffee éclairs?

About 360 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does coffee éclairs cost?

About €1.90 per person, that's €11.40 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

Build a menu

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