Love is in the Eclair: Some Sweet History, and a Daring Bakers Challenge
Sunday, August 31, 2008 
Until this month, eating an éclair was a matter of walking down to Le Panier and grabbing one of the delectable confections. But all of this changed with our most recent Daring Bakers Challenge (suggested by Meeta and Tony) which was to make Pierre Hermé’s éclairs. Now, admittedly we haven't made éclairs before but this recipe seemed like rather a quirky one (check it out here).
But like we always do, during all of those between-steps moments we had to do something to keep ourselves from eating the unfinished masterpieces, so we turned to discover a bit more about the sweet treat. Here's what we discovered, along with our little helper above (who we like to call Pierre Eclair):
What is an éclair? To those who may have grown up eating the version peddled at Dunkin' Donuts, you've been living a lie. That is what would technically be referred to as a "long john"--basically a doughnut dressed up like an éclair. Not that we'd turn our nose if offered a box of them.
Likewise those of you who have sampled the "eclair" by Cadbury and Co. are also not eating the French pastry--these confections are a caramel coating around a chocolate center.
"long, thin pastry made with choux pastry filled with a cream and topped with icing.
The dough, which is the same as that used for profiterole, is piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside. Once cool, the pastry then is filled with...pastry cream (crème pâtissière), custard or whipped cream, and topped with fondant icing."
Of course, if that seems a bit long, this definition for the éclair seems rather succinct: according to the Chambers English Dictionary, an éclair is “a cake, long in shape but short in duration.”
Where do they come from? Like a sweet mirage, the eclair's origins are hazy. According to foodtimeline.org, "The food history encyclopedias (including the Larousse Gastronomique) and reference books all describe eclairs but provide little if any details regarding their origin. This probably means the eclair is a product of food evolution. There is some conjecture that perhaps Antonin Carême (1784-1833), a famous pastry chef for French royalty might have created something akin to éclairs."
But wherever they may have come from, they caught on fast. They'd jumped the pond by 1884, garnering a writeup and recipe in the Boston Cooking School Cook Book. You can find the original American recipe here.
cake history, daring baker, french pastry
Reader Comments (51)
Very interesting bit of trivia! They sure do look delicious!
it's the shiny chocolate topping that always grabs my attention.
Can't remember the last time I ate an eclair - I shall rectify that pronto!
Love the photos and information! Excellent post!
WOW great looking eclairs cakespy and a history lesson too - well done on another great post & bake!
Rosie x
This is an eclair overload. They all look delicious, pity i can t even try one :-(
I love the background information, very informative and entertaining.
I did find them a little eggy but better once tarted up.
Beautiful looking eclairs, great job.
Hey, check my blog for a post about Fauchon and their AMAZING eclairs! Lovely post.
Love the first pic! Nice job on your eclairs. Love the background info too.
Great looking eclairs, and I enjoyed the history lesson as well - thanks for doing the research.
For me, it's still walking to the local bakery. Or I could walk to your place instead. :)
Love that history! Thanks! And great photos of various eclairs! You have a PhD in eclair now!!
So cute as usual! I had problem with the batter too.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your header picture on this post. Too cute.
That Dunkin Donuts - fooling Americans into thinking they are eating an eclair!! Your eclairs look great - too bad they weren't the tastiest for you.
oh I love elairs!!!I have to bake some in the next few weeks...
Stop, You're making me hungry! - Just found your blog through Taylored Expressions (love the upcoming stamp set) and wanted to say hi!
I had such grand plans for my own Daring Baker eclairs--I was going to make them into hot-rods and go-karts with toothpicks and wheels built from little chocolate disks and so on...Instead, as you can see, I got trashed on a variety of wines, indulged in sunshine and parties, and cringed at the thought of doing anything responsible, particularly turning on my oven and conducting precision recipe execution in the 30-degree heatwave of late summer:
http://cakesandneckties.blogspot.com/2008/09/letting-bakers-down-2nd-time.html
I just found your blog from a link on Taylored Expressions and I'm in LOVE!
What a fabulous outcome on this month's challenge. I'm so impressed. And you're telling me you never made them before? OMG
Mrs. Cupcake: Thanks!
Aran: Your life is SO film noir, I'll bet! All glamorous :-)
TW Barritt: I know! I was surprised myself by how hazy its origins are--and how similar that type of eclair is to the boston cream pie or the doughnuts that DD sells that they call "eclairs". Interesting how it all goes together...
CL: Ha! You made me laugh til I cried with the French laugh!
Passionate About Baking: I'll take a bite too!
Ann: Yea! My first time. It was fun! Not as delicious as yours looked though!
Dana: thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
Clumbsy: It was the first time I've ever seen an eclair too. Unfortunately, Pierre is no longer with us.
Rainbow: Thanks! Yours do gleam!
Honeyb: Yup. These things matter. :-)
Tartelette: Yes, he was off...but we ate him anyway!
Isa: You didn't take that course!? What a shame! :-)
Tanya: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the l'il guy.
Judy: Nope, that is the kind of history I like!
TeaLady: Glad you enjoyed! Thanks!
Natalie: Alas, he did not last.
Psychgrad: You definitely should! I think it was worth the experience of making something I'd usually just buy!
Tablebread: I don't eat them often either but hey, everything has a time and a place!
Eileen: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed visiting!
Bonnie: I am blushing!! I have something coming your way in the mail!
Pea and Pear: I think that all that reading means you need a snack! An eclair!
Maybelle's mom: Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the intro pic!
Stickygooey: Glad you enjoyed! Thanks!
Marye: You're welcome!
Migoto Chou: Thanks!
Caked Crusader: Yes! Rectify that immediately!
Jude: Glad you enjoyed!
Rosie: Thanks so much!!
Snooky: Come on over! :-) We'd totally hook you up!
Natashya: Thanks! And the egginess wasn't so bad we didn't eat them so I guess not a total loss!
Half baked: Thanks!
Bakinginoregon: Thanks, glad you enjoyed!
Susan: It would be a long walk but you'd be welcome!
Lesley: Oooh, a PHD in eclair!? Count me in.
Veron: I'm sure yours was better than ours :-)
EB: Thanks! It's totally back to school time!
Deborah: BAD DD indeed! Well, like I said, I would still eat 'em! :-)
Diana: You do have to!
Ida: Aww, thanks! Glad you like the new stamps too!
Amanda: You're too sweet! Glad you've discovered the sweet world we live in! :-)
Thanks for the history behind the eclair - I found it very interesting.
Thanks for the history behind the eclair - I found it very interesting.
FABULOUS!
Love the history and Pierre!
Pierre Eclair is SO CUTE! It just makes me want to eat him up!!! oh wait... :( hahaha ;) Great job on the eclairs! :)