Today, I decided to whip up some chocolate Eclairs. This was a special request from my sister visiting from Canada. She had a sweet tooth that day, so I asked her what special treat she would like me to make her. After spending a few moments thinking of several possibilities, she decided that chocolate éclairs would fit the bill. Well, I didn’t argue with her as I am a pastry lover at heart myself.
An éclair is kind of like a French donut. It is dough that is piped into long thin oblong shapes using a pastry bag. The dough is basically the same as you would use to make cream puffs or profiteroles. They are baked until they are golden brown and hollow inside to allow for a filling.
After they cool, the éclair can then be injected with a variety of tasty cream fillings including coffee or chocolate flavored pastry cream, custard or whipped cream (crème pâtissière). Fruit filling can also be used and they are typically covered in chocolate. A classic chocolate éclair is easier to make than you would think. The dough has only a handful of ingredients and is fairly straightforward. You will be surprised how easy and rewarding it is to create this sweet French classic and you will impress your family and friends alike.
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