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Earl Grey Crème Pâtissière Éclairs

By • Updated August 2026
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These Earl Grey Crème Pâtissière Éclairs marry the delicate bergamot perfume of fine Earl Grey tea with classic French pâtisserie technique. Light-as-air choux shells are filled with silky, tea-infused crème pâtissière, then glazed with an elegant Earl Grey fondant icing. A good piping bag set is indispensable here—you'll use it to pipe neat éclair shells and to fill them with custard—so precision and comfort matter.

This recipe was developed to showcase the floral, citrus notes that make Earl Grey such a beloved afternoon-tea companion. The gentle infusion technique ensures your custard tastes unmistakably of bergamot without any bitterness. Whether you're hosting a special tea party or simply treating yourself to a proper brew and a homemade pastry, these éclairs deliver an unforgettable, elegant finish.

Earl Grey Crème Pâtissière Éclairs
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Servings12 Éclairs
DifficultyHard

Ingredients

  • 250 ml Whole Milk
  • 3 tbsp Earl Grey Tea (loose leaf or 3 tea bags; [[best-earl-grey-guide|high-quality blend]] recommended)
  • 100 g Unsalted Butter, cubed
  • 150 g Plain Flour, sifted
  • 4 large Eggs, at room temperature
  • 4 Egg Yolks
  • 75 g Caster Sugar
  • 25 g Cornflour
  • 200 g Icing Sugar, sifted
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 265
Fat: 14g
Sugar: 18g
Protein: 6g

Instructions

1
Infuse the milk: Pour 200 ml of the milk into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat, add the Earl Grey tea, cover, and steep for 8–10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the leaves to extract maximum flavour, then top back up to 200 ml with the remaining cold milk. Set aside.
2
Make the choux pastry: Preheat your oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan)/gas 6 and line two large baking trays with parchment. In a medium saucepan, bring 150 ml water and the butter to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and beat in the sifted flour all at once with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball forms. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to dry the dough slightly. Transfer to a bowl and beat in the whole eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next, until you have a glossy, pipeable paste.
3
Pipe the éclairs: Spoon the choux pastry into a piping bag fitted with a large plain nozzle (about 1.5 cm). Pipe twelve 10–12 cm lengths onto the prepared trays, spacing them well apart. Lightly wet your finger and smooth any peaks. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden, puffed and crisp; do not open the oven door early or they may collapse. Transfer to a wire rack and pierce each end with a skewer to let steam escape. Cool completely.
4
Prepare the crème pâtissière: Whisk the egg yolks, caster sugar and cornflour in a bowl until pale. Gently reheat the infused milk until steaming, then pour it over the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return the custard to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens and just comes to the boil. Remove immediately, pour into a clean bowl, cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin, and chill for at least 1 hour.
5
Fill the éclairs: Once the choux shells and custard are completely cold, beat the crème pâtissière until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle. Make a small hole in each end of every éclair (or carefully slice the base lengthways) and pipe custard into the centre until you feel gentle resistance. Wipe away any excess.
6
Make the Earl Grey icing: Brew 1 tablespoon of Earl Grey tea in 2 tablespoons of boiling water for 5 minutes, then strain. In a bowl, whisk the icing sugar with 1½–2 tablespoons of the strained tea until you have a smooth, glossy icing thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add a drop more tea if too thick, or more icing sugar if too runny.
7
Glaze and serve: Dip the top of each filled éclair into the Earl Grey icing, letting any excess drip off, then set on a wire rack for the icing to set (about 10 minutes). Serve the same day for the crispest pastry, ideally with a pot of freshly brewed Earl Grey tea.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A quality piping bag set is the backbone of successful choux pastry: you'll need one fitted with a large plain nozzle to pipe uniform, bakery-neat éclair shells that rise evenly in the oven, and a second bag with a fine nozzle to fill them cleanly with crème pâtissière. Flimsy, single-use bags can burst under the pressure of thick choux paste or tear mid-pipe, wasting batter and creating uneven shapes that bake unevenly. A good reusable set with strong seams, comfortable grip and interchangeable nozzles gives you the control and confidence to create professional-looking éclairs every time.

See our piping bag set picks →

Expert Tip: Avoid Soggy Éclairs

Always pierce the baked choux shells at both ends with a skewer immediately after removing them from the oven. This releases trapped steam and prevents the crisp shell from turning soggy as it cools. Fill the éclairs as close to serving time as possible for maximum crunch.

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