Éclairs

“The éclair originated during the nineteenth century in France where it was called “pain à la Duchesse” or “petite duchesse” until 1850.The word is first attested both in English and in French in the 1860s. Some food historians speculate that éclairs were first made by Antonin Carême (1784–1833), the famous French chef. The first known English-language recipe for éclairs appears in the Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Mrs. D.A. Lincoln, published in 1884.”

Wikipedia

The original and traditional French éclair is made with pâte à choux in an oblong shape not longer than 12cm (4.72″) and 3cm width; the smallests in proportion not less than 6cm long.

Filled with pastry cream (made with real vanilla beans), soft to the taste, not super sweet and glazed with a very thin layer of the finest dark chocolate which does not have to give a predominant flavor.

Everything in an éclair must be so well balanced that the commensal should not feel overwhelmed by the sweet of the cream, the bitterness of the chocolate and the size of the éclair itself.

It must be just right and pleasant to the eyes and to the palate with the accompaniment of a good coffee, tea or champagne.There are a lot of varieties of éclairs nowadays but the size and the high quality of the ingredients is a rule to follow, otherwise it won’t be a real French éclair.

Andrea Ávila