The Joy of Eclairs
I love Chocolate Eclairs! They are my favorite dessert. Whenever I travel, I'm always on the lookout for a great eclair. The best one I've eaten was in Madison, Wisconsin about 12 years ago. There was one in Boulder, Colorado that was also impressive.
An eclair experience is always memorable, the flaky dough, the cool creamy center and the chocolate icing top. Wow!
Buy Chocolate Eclairs Online
Chocolate Eclairs
Amazon Price: $39.75 (as of 10/13/2008)
Chocolate Mini Eclair
Amazon Price: $16.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Sugar Free Eclairs By Chatila's 6 Pack
Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
What is an Eclair? Where do they come from?
From Wikipedia
An eclair is a pastry made with choux pastry (profiterole dough). The dough is piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside.Once cool, the pastry then is traditionally filled with a coffee- or chocolate-flavored[1] pastry cream (crème pâtissière), custard or whipped cream, and topped with fondant icing of the same flavor as the filling.[2] Other fillings include pistachio- and rum-flavored custard, fruit-flavored fillings, or chestnut purée.
In some parts of the United States, long johns are marketed under the name éclairs, though the two are not identical. A long john uses donut pastry and is typically filled with vanilla pudding, making it a simpler and inexpensive alternative to the éclair.
Little is known about the origin of the éclair, but it is known to have originated in France around the turn of the nineteenth century.
"Eclair" is French for "flash", though there is no known linkage to this. Many food historians speculate that éclairs were first made by Marie-Antoine Carême, a famous pastry chef for French royalty.
1. Montagné, Prosper, Larousse gastronomique : the new American edition of the world's greatest culinary encyclopedia, Jenifer Harvey Lang, ed., New York: Crown Publishers, 1988, p. 401 ISBN 9780517570326
2. Ibid.
Go to WiseGeek for more on "What are Eclairs?"
Click here for a larger photo of the monster eclair below with perspective!
The Remains of a Very BIG Eclair!
I'll Have an Eclair with that BLOG!
The ongoing fascination with eclairs.
- From: A Cat in the Kitchen
- "Daring Bakers: Chocolate éclairs" This month's challenge was to bake Chocolate éclairs from Pierre Hermé's "Chocolate Desserts" and the recipe was picked by Meeta and Tony.
- From: Passionate Eater
- "Gladly Wanting Seconds at Tartine Bakery" A story of eclair heaven at the "best bakery in the USA!
- From: Paris Breakfasts
- "Eclair Researches" She looks at colorful array of eclairs in Paris.
- From: La Mia Cucina
- "Mine Don't Look Like Gracie's:P" A story of eclair making that didn't go so well.
- From: Tasting Life...
- "Paris: Chocolate Eclairs" This blogger describes making eclairs.
- From: renaissance culinaire
- "Formula: Pate A Choux, Eclairs & Cream Puffs revisited" A culinary student describes the process.
- From: nordljus
- "Eclair with a Twist" Another eclair story with a Japanese twist.
- From: Cafe Johnsoni
- "My husband loves eclairs. Ever since we've been married, I've been promising to make them for him. Weeks ago, for Valentine's Day, I finally made them."
- From: sacha chua
- "Wayne and Jessica helped me make eclair shells the night before, which proved to be quite an adventure. We followed the recipe from the older edition of Joy of Cooking."
- From: Our Awesome Planet
- "It was the first time we heard our son Aidan said the word "W-O-W" (with feelings!) and at the same time, pointing to the Happy Cream Puffs. Even until now, when we finished all the cream puffs and eclairs, my son would say "W-O-W" when he sees the picture of the Happy Cream Puffs. My wife, on the other hand, just convinced me that we should buy 10 boxes of the Happy Cream Puff and Eclairs for Christmas."
- From: Seeing Things
- "A Coffee Éclair: Personal Indulgences No. 9" "I am in Paris with my husband."
- From: Cafe Fernando, Istanbul
- "Swan Raspberry Eclairs" Classic Baking books, DVDs and a recipe for some delicious looking and fancy eclairs.
The BEST Eclair in the City!
Here are some locations with the great Eclairs! Send me your suggestions!
BostonCoffee Time Bake Shop
96 Bridge Salem
MA 01970
(978) 744-0995
coffeetimebakeshop.net
Chowhound.com- "BEST ECLAIR EVER - Most eclairs taste about the same to me and I have had gourmet ones that I didn't like, but these were wonderful..."
San Antonio
Earl Abel's
1201 Austin Highway, Ste 175
(210) 822-3358
www.earlabelssa.com
This is where I GO!
San Francisco
Moscow and Tbilisi Bakery Store
5540 Geary (at 19th Avenue)
(415) 668-6959
Best Éclairs (2001) SFWeekly.com - "The best damn eclair you'll find anywhere. You can achieve creamy, flaky, chocolaty bliss in a lot of places, but Tbilisi's version is creamier, flakier, and chocolatier.
Washington, DC
Lille Patisserie
2451 I-9 Centreville Rd.,
Herndon, VA
(703) 793-2787
washingtonpost.com/ "Those who are lucky enough to have sampled eclairs made by French hands will recognize the mastery of the delicate specimens served at Lille Patisserie in Herndon."
Eating Eclairs Video!
Why do people want to eat them fast??
Make Your Own Eclairs!
Chocolate Eclair Recipe From Cooks.com
ECLAIR:1 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1 c. flour
4 eggs
Bring to rolling boil water and butter. Take off heat. Add flour and stir with spoon until ball can be formed. Add eggs. Beat like crazy. Mix until dough is very stiff; otherwise it will run all over pan. Drop by full teaspoons onto a cookie sheet for individual serving; put in a circular ring or in a strip. Bake 45-50 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool out of draft.
FILLING:
2 pkg. instant French vanilla pudding
2 1/2 c. milk
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix pudding and milk. Mix well. Fold in Cool Whip and vanilla. Slice eclair in half and fill generously with entire amount of filling. Replace top of eclair. Drizzle top of eclair with Chocolate Sauce.
CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 c. canned milk
1/2 c. butter
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate chips and butter together. Gradually add milk and powdered sugar. Bring to boil. Stir continuously. Boil for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Makes 3/4 quart.See a detailed Eclair recipe with Photos
A Simple Video for Making Eclairs!
Buy Eclair Shells
No judgement. Its your dessert.
Pidy Mini Eclairs 250 Per Case
Amazon Price: $48.00 (as of 10/13/2008)
Pidy mini choux butter pastry, also known as the mini eclair, are ready to fill with your favorite pastry cream or other creations. The shell shape is elongated and has a wonderful golden brown color. 250 per case. Ready to use.
YouTube Video on Pastry Includes Éclairs
Alton Brown's usual interesting and unique content.
Good Eats S6E10P1: Choux Shine
Alton explores the power of steam and how it transforms a basic dough into a bubble of goodness waiting to be filled. Recipes featured in this episode: - Funnel Cake - Eclairs and Cream Puffs - Savory Pâte á Choux
Runtime: 10:27
17747 views
10 Comments:
Buy Eclair Baking Equipment
Chicago Metallic Easy Éclair Pan
This non-stick pan makes it easy to bake perfect eclairs at home. The pan is also ideal for making individual sponge cakes. 8 cavities, each 4 "L 1 "W 1 "D.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/13/2008)
Wilton Excelle Elite 3-Tier Cooling Rack
3-tier cooling rack stacks and collapses for space-efficient use. Sturdy steel wires allow airflow while securely holding small or large items. Reinforced nonstick coating for easy release and clean-up. Safe in the dishwasher. Each grid measures 15-7/8 by 9-7/8 inches; 10-year warranty
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 10/13/2008)
Le Creuset Amazon.com Exclusive 3-Piece Silicone Spatula Set, Cherry Red
Premium quality silicone; heat resistant to 800 degrees F. Won't scratch surfaces Ideal for nonstick cookware. Ergonomic wood handle Made in the USA. Removable Silicone head is dishwasher safe.
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Another Video Shows Making Chocolate Eclairs
A British Show!
Lenses that Can Help with Baking Eclairs
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Baking Tips
- Baking Tips - 21 Extraordinary Tips For Beginners!
- "Are you a beginner at baking? Getting cold feet about never having tried your hand at the culinary arts? Fear not, cooking is not as complicated as it sounds. It is only complicated when you have no idea about what you're doing. If you happen to be one of those people that needs help with cooking, here are some special cooking tips for you and voila! Before you know it, you'll be busy in the kitchen, rustling up a storm! "
Eclair: Meditation in Yummy
More Recipes for Eclairs
For those who like to see several variations or odd variations on a recipe.
- Chocolate Éclairs - The Culinary Institute of America
- "Chocolate Éclairs. Loaded with a creamy filling and its delicate, flaky pastry glossed with chocolate icing, the dessert éclair has withstood the test of time as a pastry favorite. Despite the time needed to create their delicious components, éclairs can be made in a home kitchen. Why not take a lazy afternoon to make these irresistible pastries."
- Mini Chocolate Eclairs from the Food Network
- Recipe courtesy Paula Deen!
- Gluten and casein free eclairs recipe
- This eclair recipe is suitable for those with milk and/or wheat allergies. It is ideal for Autistic individuals on the GFCF diet.
- How to Make Passover Eclairs
- Everyone loves Passover meals, but finding the right desert can be challenging. Here is a great recipe for wonderful eclairs that will be a hit at your Passover meal.
- Éclairs made simple
- "With our basic recipes and variations, you can make these sublime éclairs in your favorite combination of flavors."
- Campfire Éclairs
- A camping recipe from Teresa. This is a fun, easy, and somewhat messy recipe to do over the campfire. You can do different variations of pudding flavors and frostings. Add some sprinkles for fun too.
- How to Make Éclairs
- From: Joe Pastry.
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?
Buy Éclairs and Cream Puffs Together
When You Can't Decide Which One!
Chocolate Eclairs & Cream Puffs
Amazon Price: (as of 10/13/2008)
Produced by Hand to "Old World" Standards. Arrives in a safety sealed box. 9 Delicious Eclairs & 9 Mouth Watering Cream Puffs. Simply Thaw and Enjoy! Shelf Life: 2 Weeks in Refrigerator; 1 Month in Freezer.
A Variety of Eclair Fillings
And now for something completely different!
- Banana Cream Eclairs
- A recipe from Taste of Homes: Simple and Delicious. "To surprise my banana-loving family, I made this dessert for a reunion, where it stood out among the usual fare," notes field editor Ruby Williams of Bogalusa, Louisiana. "These special treats are something to look at and mouth-watering delicious."
- Peaches 'N' Cream Eclairs With Bourbon Caramel Sauce
- A recipe from epicurious.com. "Bourbon lends depth to the sauce and extra sweetness to the cream filling, but this dessert is fantastic even without it."
- Mini Éclairs with Meyer Lemon Filling
- A recipe from Chow.com. "These tiny pastries laced with tart lemon cream make a nice treat at a dinner party. Meyer lemons are delicious but sweet, so we added real lemons to the éclair filling for a good acid bite".
National Éclair Day
This important holiday is June 22nd.
Even Dogs Love Eclairs!
For our furry friends.
"Eclair: A truly traditional pastry, doggie style.Ingredients: Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour, Peanut Butter, Water, Vegetable Oil, Dried Skimmed Milk, Wheat Germ"
Go to PetsR4u to purchase this special treat
More Eating Chocolate Eclairs
Priceless!
Eclair Stuff at CafePress
For Eclair Addicts!
Video: The Chocolate Eclair
Eclair Related Products on Amazon
3 PC FAUX ECLAIR ON A PLATE Fake Food
3 pc faux eclair on a plate you get 3 eclairs on a plate, too bad you can't eat them.
Amazon Price: $28.69 (as of 10/13/2008)
The Lab Rats of Doctor Eclair
Readers are introduced to the weird world of Doctor Eclair, a bumbling scientist who is as devoted to his test animals as he is to his work.
Amazon Price: (as of 10/13/2008)
Behind Eclaire's Doors: An Eclaire Mystery (Eclaire Mysteries)
A sassy, sexy mystery shot through with the heat, humidity, and atmosphere of New Orleans will hold the interest of mystery fans who like some sexual tension with their murder.
Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 10/13/2008)
Eclairs x 2
Eat Chocolate! Its Good for You!
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RSS Feed: The Chocolate Blog
Well researched.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand by
One Eclair Please...
Go to Paris for the Best Eclair!
Blog on the Best Chocolate Eclairs in Paris
- From: Rose Cantine
- Best chocolate eclairs in Paris.
Reader Feedback
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3c86a4
Great lens!! Makes me want to eat one right now:) Posted October 09, 2008 |
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BethErickson
Yummy! ummmm.. yum.. It makes me crave seeing the images here. I really love eclairs. I used to make this when to my children when they are still kids. :) Posted October 09, 2008 |
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ShannonC
Eclairs are delicious...great lens, now I want an eclair! Posted July 27, 2008 |
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TeaLady
This lens make me hungry!!! Posted May 12, 2008 |
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LeslieBrenner
Wow, everything you ever wanted to know about eclairs. Now I need an eclair fix! Posted February 14, 2008 |
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Donna_Fallon
Hiya Posted February 06, 2008 |
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LABELSTONE
Great 5-star lense with lots of information. Love to lick the chocolate off and then get to the cream next! Please visit my lens on Fruit Crate Labels at: http://www.squidoo.com/fruitcratelabels. Posted January 26, 2008 |
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lisadh
I'm inspired now to try making my own eclairs. Thanks for visiting Who Invented Chocolate?. I've lensrolled you there. Posted January 24, 2008 |
I like my eclairs. Cool.
Posted January 19, 2008
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NAIZA
I too love chocolates! I've tried Chocolate Eclairs before and it's one of my favorites. Truly what a yummy lens! I enjoyed reading it and the pictures. Definitely, a 5 stars for you! Posted January 14, 2008 |
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Aika
yes of course, love it too! ^__^ Posted January 09, 2008 |
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AdriennePetersen
Yummy Lens! Thanks for visiting my How To Make Chocolate Fudge That Will Have Your Friends & Family Begging For More! Lens. Posted January 04, 2008 |
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webnh
very very nice work. I can just keeping reading the lens thinking about eclairs. Mmmmmmmmmmmm 5stars Posted January 03, 2008 |
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Joie
Ohhh... it's been too long since I've made these! Posted January 03, 2008 |