Decadent No-Bake Chocolate Éclair Cake

6) Slice & Serve

For clean edges, warm a sharp knife under hot water, wipe dry, slice, and repeat.
Serve cold. Add chocolate shavings or crushed graham crumbs if you’re feeling fancy.

Why It Works

Graham crackers act like ready-made pâte à choux layers: dry, crisp, and eager to soak up moisture. Chilled instant-pudding cream stabilized with whipped topping sets sliceable (not runny), while a flexible chocolate top seals in moisture and delivers that éclairesque snap-then-melt bite.

Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing

Fridge: Keeps well, covered, up to 4 days.
Freeze: Freeze tightly wrapped up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge; texture remains custardy, though slightly firmer.

Variations (Have Fun!)

Mocha Éclair: Dissolve 1–2 tsp instant espresso in the milk before whisking the pudding; add espresso to ganache.
Chocolate-on-Chocolate: Use chocolate instant pudding and chocolate grahams.
Peanut Butter Swirl: Beat ½ cup (120 g) peanut butter into the finished cream; top with chopped peanuts.
Banana Éclair: Layer sliced bananas over each cracker layer (assemble just before chilling).
Strawberry Short-Éclair: Swap vanilla pudding for cheesecake flavor and add a layer of sliced strawberries.
Mint Nightcap: Add ¼ tsp peppermint extract to ganache; sprinkle crushed chocolate-mint candies.
Salted Caramel Crown: Drizzle ¼ cup (60 ml) caramel over the top before the chocolate sets; finish with flaky salt.

Troubleshooting & Tips

Filling too loose?
- Make sure you used instant (not cook-and-serve) pudding.
- Measure milk at 3 cups total for two small boxes.
- Chill longer; it firms significantly between 8–24 hours.
Chocolate topping cracks when slicing:
- Let the top sit at room temp 5–10 minutes before slicing.
- Use a warmed knife and gentle pressure.
Soggy edges:
- Ensure the chocolate layer fully covers the top crackers to “waterproof” them.
- Don’t overwork the filling (keeps it aerated and less prone to weeping).

Scaling

8×8 in (20×20 cm) pan: Make half the recipe.
Sheet-pan party size (10×15 in / 25×38 cm): Increase ingredients by ~25–30%.

Ingredient Swaps & Dietary Notes

Gluten-Free: Use certified GF graham crackers; everything else is typically GF (check labels).
Lightened Up: Use 2% milk and light whipped topping; glaze instead of ganache.
Dairy-Free (still no-bake/oven-free):
- Some instant puddings don’t set with plant milk—look for brands labeled to set with non-dairy, or use a stovetop custard with plant milk (cool completely before layering).
- Use dairy-free whipped topping and a dairy-free chocolate glaze (oil-based cocoa glaze works great).