How to Make Éclairs
Ah, ze éclair…si simple, si marveilleuse. I feel like eating one right now. Oh, right, I just did. But with all my prepared shells, pastry cream and ganache on-hand, there’s plenty more where that came from, n’est-ce pas? So what am I waiting for? I start by filling a pastry bag with pastry cream and fitting it with a bismarck tip like so:
Grasping the closest available pastry shell, I gently insert the tip with a slight twisting motion (if possible right into one of the cracks in the shell, an easy entry point). Then: squeeze.
How do I know when the éclair is full? Here’s a clue:
All there is left to do now is dip the top in either melted chocolate or chocolate ganache, whichever you prefer (straight chocolate tends to chip once it’s cooled, so if I have the cream on hand I’ll usually use ganache).
Remove to plate…
…and eat! Or if you prefer you can let the topping firm up…though I can’t recall ever having had an éclair survive in my presence long enough. Simply put the pastry in the fridge for ten or fifteen minutes.
Here I should stress that éclairs are best eaten as soon as they’re filled and topped. The moment the pastry cream goes into the shell, the moisture begins to soften the pastry. The effect is not immediate, but is noticeable if the éclair is allowed to sit for more than a few hours. The shell gets soggy, which isn’t the end of the world, but part of the enjoyment of an éclair is the texture contrast. All goo is still OK, but…you get the picture.
Also, if you’re parking éclairs, always do so in the refrigerator. Pastry cream is a dairy product made with egg yolks, and should be treated with as much deference as you would show to a bowl of raw eggs (just in case). But again, when has an éclair ever lasted that long?
If you don’t have a bismarck tip you can certainly take the alternate route, slicing the shell in half (or thereabouts) lengthwise and piping the cream in. This is certainly a serviceable method, especially nice if you have decent piping skills (I don’t). The down side is that the pastry cream tends to squirt out when you bite down on it, which isn’t a problem per se, especially if you like licking your fingers.
I should also point out that some pastry makers like to flip the shells over and use the nice flat bottom as the top. The approach is not without a certain appeal.
Hi Joe,
Your Éclairs look absolutely amazing. Can you provide the recipe for this delicious dessert? I would like to make these for my family to enjoy. Thanks Joe and have a great night.
Thanks so much Sydney! Éclairs are simply pâte à choux pastry shells filled with pastry cream and dipped in melted chocolate (or ganache). There are full instructions for all three under the Pastry Components menu. I’m sorry that’s not clearer in the post. I’ll have to do something about that.
I’d tempted to make these some time ago and failed … too often to count. The pastry always turned out hard or dry. I’m going to give your recipe a try soon. I love éclairs. My mother used to make them when we were young (oh, about 30 yrs ago!) but her version is so difficult not to mention you’d need a pair of muscular arms too. Even with her experience, she failed many time. When she “felt” the pastry wasn’t right to pipe, she immediately switched it into another kind of dessert, ie: dropped a spoonful of this pastry into frying pan and voilà, you got something similar to a doughnut.
I also just want to comment that I like your site a lot. Too bad, I just discovered it very recently. Thanks for posting your experience and culinary wisdoms. You’ve just got yourself a new follower.
Thanks and welcome, Maggie! That’s a shame about the choux failures, but with practice I have no doubt you’ll eventually master them. It’s funny, I was just discussing fried choux with someone the other day. In France they’re known as “pets de none” or in English, “nun’s farts.” Not too attractive a name for so light and sweet a thing, but good for a laugh. PLease come back soon and don’t hesitate to ask any questions!
– Joe
Hi Joe!
First off, I absolutely love your site. You are my go to guy!
I was wondering if you could tell me how to make a caramel eclair? I’ve seen pictures of them and they don’t appear to have plain caramel sauce on top (I think), but maybe a caramel icing or something? How would I make such a sauce?
Thank you!
Kitty
Hi Kitty!
Thanks very much for the great compliment. I appreciate it!
This sort of topping is a caramel sauce as you say, just with less cream in it. Try this:
http://joepastry.com/category/pastry-components/caramel-and-caramel-sauce/
…and reduce the cream by half. If it’s still too thick, add a little more heavy cream or sour cream by the spoonful until you get to where you want to be!
Cheers and let me know how it goes!
– Joe