Eclairs ought to be one of my favorite pastries. Traditionally, they have three components – the shell is a choux pastry, filled with pastry cream, and glazed with chocolate ganache. In Bake-off terms, you’re looking for a crisp shell (though gets a little flexible if not served right away), with a creamy dreamy vanilla center evenly distributed, and a thin even layer of smooth chocolate on top (but not so much as to overwhelm the rest of the components).
If I see them in a bakery window, it’s hard for me to pass them for a different dessert. Yet, my latest tries have often been disappointing, as they are overpriced and of poor quality.
This was my first attempt at eclairs (and choux pastry for that matter). It’s not the neatest result (these were hard to pipe out and I’m still learning piping skills), but honestly the best I personally had in a while.
How did I do?
If you’ve tried an eclair, please let me know how you liked it.
ioana marin, phd 