Salted Caramel Éclairs

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine water, unsalted butter (8 tbsp), and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
3. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1-2 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a stand mixer bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.
5. Using the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add eggs one at a time on medium speed, incorporating each fully before adding the next. The dough should be smooth, glossy, and hold stiff peaks when the paddle is lifted.
6. Transfer the pâte à choux dough to a large piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
7. Pipe 16 éclairs, each about 4 inches long, onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake at 400°F (205°C) for 15 minutes without opening the oven door. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 15 minutes until éclairs are puffed and golden brown.
9. Remove éclairs and poke a small hole at each end using a skewer or toothpick to release steam. Let cool completely on wire racks, about 30 minutes.
10. To prepare salted caramel pastry cream, heat whole milk with the split and scraped vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Remove from heat and discard vanilla bean pod.
11. In a bowl, whisk granulated sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks until smooth and pale.
12. Gradually whisk hot milk into egg yolk mixture to temper eggs.
13. Return mixture to saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened and boiling, about 3-5 minutes. Continue cooking for 1 minute more to reach 170-175°F (77-79°C) for safety.
14. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1/3 cup salted caramel sauce until smooth.
15. Transfer pastry cream to a bowl, cover surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour until set and chilled.
16. Fill pastry cream into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip. Insert tip into the holes in the cooled éclairs and pipe cream inside until filled.
17. Warm 3 tbsp salted caramel sauce until pourable for the glaze.
18. Dip the top of each filled éclair into the salted caramel glaze and place on wire racks.
19. Heat heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chopped dark chocolate, let sit 1 minute, then stir until smooth to make chocolate drizzle.
20. Drizzle chocolate over caramel-glazed éclairs and let set before serving.