Eclairs

Crisp, puffy, chocolaty, eclairs are a symbol of decadence. The classic éclair is a delicious pastry with filling and topping, and light and moist when bitten into. To make it, one needs to keep in mind the different elements, including the choux pastry, the filling, and the chocolate glaze. For the pastry, one needs water, butter, salt, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, and eggs. The filling requires either vanilla pastry cream or chocolate pastry cream. And the glaze requires chocolate, whipping cream, salt, butter, and corn syrup.

Eclairs are believed to have originated in France around the 1800s, invented by Marie-Antoine Careme, who was a pastry chef to the royalty. He was poor and homeless by age eight, and started working in the local kitchen. This soon turned into his passion and he earned much success, eventually opening up his own shop. He worked for big names including George IV of Britain, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, and Napoleon.

Eclairs were first known as ‘pain a la Duchesse’. In French, éclair translates to ‘flash of lighting.’ The first known recipe for the dessert came up in the 1884 book The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.

Over time, they’ve evolved beyond the classic chocolate. With fruit toppings and food colouring, small and giant sizes, the dish draws people in with its versatility, beauty, and taste.