Éclair

French pastry · cream filling · baking

Puffy choux dough. Éclairs are made from a special dough that puffs up when baked, creating a crispy shell on the outside and a hollow space inside where the filling goes. It is the same dough used to make profiteroles, another delicious French treat.

Creamy filling inside. Once the pastry cools down, bakers fill it with smooth custard, whipped cream, or other yummy fillings like pistachio cream or fruit flavors. Some éclairs even get filled with chestnut purée for a fancy twist.

Glossy icing on top. The finishing touch is a thin coating of fondant icing, which gives the éclair its shiny, polished look. When the icing is caramel flavored, the dessert gets a special name, bâton de Jacob.

Piped into shape. Bakers use a pastry bag to squeeze the dough into long, oblong shapes before baking. This special technique helps create the perfect éclair shape every time.