Éclairs

Choux fingers pierced the instant they leave the oven, filled cold and dipped rather than spooned.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg, dairy (butter), dairy (double cream), dairy (whole milk).

Ingredients

• 1 batch choux pastry, as on its own page
• 1 batch crème pâtissière, as on its own page
• 1 batch ganache, as on its own page, warm

Method

1. THEY ARE PIERCED THE MOMENT THEY LEAVE THE OVEN. A hot choux shell is full of steam, and steam that stays inside condenses and softens the wall from within. One hole in each end with a skewer, immediately, then back into the turned-off oven for five minutes to dry. Pierced later, or not at all, they are leathery by the time they are filled and nothing crisps them again.
2. THEY ARE FILLED COLD AND FILLED LATE. Warm shells melt the custard and it runs out; and even cold, a filled eclair has about four hours before the pastry gives up. Fill the ones you are going to eat.
3. THE GLAZE IS DIPPED, NOT SPOONED. Held by both ends, face down into warm ganache, lifted and given a moment to stop dripping. Spooned over, it runs down the sides and sets in a puddle on the plate.
4. Choux pastry made as on its own page and piped into fingers about 12 cm long, well spaced, using a 1.5 cm plain nozzle held at a shallow angle.
5. The ridges flattened with a wet fingertip -- a peak left standing scorches.
6. Baked as the choux pastry page directs: 200C for 20 minutes without opening the door, then 170C for 12 to 15.
7. OUT OF THE OVEN AND PIERCED AT ONCE, one small hole at each end.
8. Returned to the switched-off oven, door ajar, 5 minutes.
9. Cooled completely on a rack.
10. Crème pâtissière made as on its own page, chilled, and whisked smooth.
11. Piped in through both end holes with a long thin nozzle until the shell feels heavy. Stop when it resists; pushing on splits the side.
12. Ganache made as on its own page and left to cool to about 35C, when it coats and does not run.
13. Each eclair dipped face down, lifted, and the drip wiped from the underside with a finger.
14. Set 20 minutes at room temperature. Not in the fridge, which dulls the glaze and softens the shell.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under France · All recipes