Dish · french
Eclair
A finger-shaped choux pastry filled with pastry cream, traditionally vanilla or chocolate, and topped with a shiny fondant glaze.
Where it comes from
Choux pastry dates to French court kitchens of the 1700s. The glazed, cream-filled version known as an eclair appeared in Paris pastry shops in the 1800s. The name means lightning, popularly explained as how fast the pastry gets eaten, though that story is unconfirmed.
What cooks argue about
Bakers argue over whether to pipe cream through a hole in the base or split the shell open, and whether choux should vent while baking to stay crisp or seal for a softer crumb.
Versions
Nobody has published a eclair here yet. When somebody cooks one from a video and publishes it, their version appears in this list, with a link back to the original.
What goes in it
Each one opens everything else made with it.
all purpose flour
butter
egg
cornstarch