Eclairs are made with choux pastry, and then filled with a creamy custard, and dipped in a sweet glaze.
Choux pastry is piped into a line, and then baked in the oven for a crisp golden color on the outside, and soft inside.
See video here.
What is Éclair dough called
Éclair dough is called choux pastry.
Choux pastry is made of dough that is cooked over medium heat in a saucepan. Once all of the flour is incorporated and cooked for a few minutes, the dough is transferred to a stand mixer.
While the dough is mixing with the dough hook, the eggs are added one at a time until the dough becomes shiny and silky. Then the éclair dough is ready to be piped and baked.
What is Éclair filling made of
Éclair filling is made of pastry cream.
Pastry cream is made by tempering eggs and adding hot cream. Pastry cream is very delicate, and needs to be made slowly.
Otherwise, the eggs will cook and ruin your pastry cream. Just in case some of the eggs do cook a little, it’s best to strain your pastry cream before letting it chill in the fridge.
What is Éclair sauce
Éclair sauce is the topping that goes on the highest choux pastry. Éclairs can be topped with many different foods including salted caramel sauce, chocolate ganache, or other types of icing.
What is chocolate éclair sauce
Chocolate éclair sauce is made of chocolate ganache. Chocolate ganache for éclairs is a topping that hardens onto the choux pasty.
Chocolate éclair sauce is made by adding warm heavy cream to small pieces of the chocolate. The mixture is combined until it’s smooth and then it can be used once it’s cooled down to room temperature.
You don’t want to use the chocolate éclair sauce when it’s too warm, otherwise it will be too hot to adhere to the choux pastry.
How do you prevent eclairs from deflating
You can prevent eclairs from deflating by poking a toothpick into the dough as it is baking.
Poke the dough near the end of the baking cycle. Poke the eclairs again as they are cooling out of the oven.
Poking the dough will release the steam, which means that the steam will not be retained by the pastry.
If the steam is retained within the dough, it will make the dough collapse onto itself with the trapped moisture seeping into the pastry.
Can I make choux pastry the day before
You can make choux pastry dough up to 3 days in advance.
The choux pastry dough will last in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Pipe and bake your choux pastry and use the baked choux pastry within 1-2 days. Choux pastry is better served the same day it is baked. The fresher the better.
How to make Eclairs
- Prepare choux pastry. Pipe onto a baking mat and bake the pastries. Prick with a toothpick to let the air escape either as it’s cooking or as soon as it comes out of the oven.
- Let the pastry fully cool. Prepare pastry cream. You can choose any type of pastry cream – salted caramel pastry cream, raspberry mousse, vanilla pastry cream, coffee pastry cream, etc.
- Pipe chilled pastry cream on top of the choux pastry or inside of it. You can also cut the choux pastry in half and then pipe the pastry cream so it sits in the middle.
- Prepare the topping – this could be chocolate ganache, salted caramel sauce, etc.
- Pipe the topping onto the pastry.
- The pastry is complete, or continue piping other toppings – buttercream and a chocolate decoration.
- Serve within 1 day of preparing.
What is the difference between an éclair and a Long John?
The difference between an éclair and a Long John is that a Long John is made with dough prepared with yeast, and then the dough is deep fried, whereas an éclair is made with choux pastry and then is baked in the oven.
Both a Long John and an éclair are filled with pastry cream and chocolate icing on the top of them.
What is the difference between a cream puff and an éclair
The difference between a cream puff and an éclair is that they are piped in different shapes. Both an éclair and a cream puff use choux pastry.
They are light, fluffy, and an airy pastry. Éclairs have both a filling and a topping, whereas a cream puff may only have a filling.
Do unfilled cream puffs need to be refrigerated
Unfilled cream puffs do not need to be refrigerated.
However, if you do refrigerate unfilled cream puffs, this will prevent the cream puffs from again as quickly. You can use your refrigerated unfilled cream puffs for 2-3 days after baking.
When should you fill cream puffs
You should fill cream puffs right before serving.
The longer the pastry cream sits on the choux pastry, the more soggy it will become. By only filling the cream puffs right before serving, the pastry will be light and airy.
Can you freeze cream puffs that are filled
You can freeze cream puffs that are filled for up to one month in the freezer.
Thaw the cream puffs in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to eat them.
