Have you ever thought about making eclairs at home? That fancy French pastry doesn’t have to only be a bakery treat- you can make them yourself! And when you do, you won’t believe how much better they taste. When I was growing up, whenever we’d go to any kind of family feast, my mom would always repeat “homemade is always best.” I thought she just wanted to encourage me to love the food that she and my aunts and grandmother made, but as I got older I realized what it’s really all about. When something is made with really top-notch, quality ingredients, and it’s fresh from the kitchen, that’s really a taste that can’t be beat by anything off a store shelf. Eclairs are a perfect example of that. You can make these treats yourself, so they’re fresh as can be, and it’s pretty simple! It’s even easier if you stay organized and prep everything ahead of time. I like to start with the shells. They’re a basic French pastry called pate a choux, made from just a few simple ingredients. I like to make them up to a couple of weeks ahead of time; they freeze beautifully! Just allow them to cool completely, then toss them into a zip-top bag and into the freezer. The filling can also be made ahead. I typically like to make it a day or two before I plan to serve the eclairs.
On the day you plan to serve your eclairs, just thaw your shells and transfer the creme patissiere filling into a pastry bag fitted with a Bismarck tip. Can you see in the photo above, how the tip is elongated, and very pointy at the end? This is the perfect tool for filling eclairs. Just pierce one end of an eclair shell with the tip, and squeeze the filling in. You can feel the eclair expanding slightly and becoming heavier. Just be careful not to overfill, or you could have a bit of a mess on your hands! Once the eclairs are filled, they can take a dip in a glossy chocolate glaze. The combination of egg-y pastry, rich vanilla pastry cream, and dark chocolate is just off the charts!
I hope you’ll give this classic eclairs recipe a try! They’re so delicious and your loved ones will be so impressed!
Here are a few more classic pastry recipes you might enjoy:
Basic Macaron Recipe by Flavor the Moments Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron) by Donna Hay Classic Apple Tart Tatin by Flavor the Moments Molten Chocolate Cake (Chocolate Fondant) by Recipe Girl
