Celebrate Chocolate Eclair Day by reading on to discover the history of this delicious pastry, find out where to get éclairs in Australia and even discover a French wine and Chocolate Eclair pairing suggestion!
WHAT IS AN ECLAIR
An éclair is a delicious classic French pastry made from choux pastry (pâte à choux), filled with a creamy filling, and topped with a chocolate (or other flavoured) glaze. The choux pastry is a light and airy dough that puffs up when baked, creating a hollow centre which is perfect for filling. The traditional filling for éclairs is pastry cream, but variations can include whipped cream or other flavoured creams. The top is typically coated with a chocolate ganache or glaze.
MEANING OF THE WORD
Éclair is the French word for a flash of lightning. There’s debate about whether it’s because it’s devoured in a flash or because it sparkles like lightning when coated with fondant icing like it used to be.
WHO INVENTED THE ÉCLAIR
The widely circulated, but now discredited, story is that back in the 1540s, famous Italian chef Popelini used choux pastry and filled it with fruit when cooking for Duchess of Brittany Catherine de Médicis. This pastry was named the popelin after him. He had long been credited with inventing choux pastry but given the rumour only started appearing some 350 years after he was said to have done so, it seems dubious.
The person who is more factually credited with inventing the éclair that we know and love today is the famous pastry chef Marie-Antoine Carême. This is the same man behind the croquembouche and the vol-au-vent. He was the royal patisserie chef. He baked Napoleon’s wedding cake in 1810 and worked as chef for Prince Charles Maurice de Talleygrand-Périgord at the Chateau of Valencay. He also worked at the Ferrières Estate of Barone James de Rothschild for 7 years.
Carême made the éclair by removing almonds from an earlier pastry called pain à la duchesse, filling it with chocolate or coffee custard, and covering it with fondant sugar.
PREVIOUS NAME
During Carême’s lifetime, the éclair was still called pain à la duchesse or petite duchesse. It wasn’t until around 1850 that it took the name of éclair.
FIRST USE OF ÉCLAIR in ENGLISH
1861 according to Oxford English Dictionary when it first appeared in print in English in a 1861 Vanity Fair article
FIRST PUBLISHED RECIPE FOR THE ÉCLAIR IN ENGLISH
In 1884 in Mrs DA Lincoln’s Boston Cooking School Cook Book
RECORD FOR LONGEST ÉCLAIR
In 2016 in Verviers, Belgium, Jean-Philippe Darcis and his team created the world’s largest éclair, measuring 676m long and beating the world record of 503m. It took between 20 and 25 pastry chefs 3 hours of work to make the world’s largest chocolate éclair.
A FAMOUS MODERN FRENCH ÉCLAIR SHOP WITH A FUN NAME
L’Éclair de Génie is the name of a shop which is a play on words, it means a strike of genius. There are now several locations. Theirs are not your standard éclairs. They come in every flavour imaginable.
WHERE TO FIND CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS IN AUSTRALIA
There are of course many more bakeries and patisseries than those mentioned below but those below are the ones who replied to our request for information.
CHOCOLATE ECLAIR DAY IN BRISBANE
Chouquette has authentic chocolate éclairs.
French Patisserie in Toowong and Kingscliff also sells French choclate éclairs
CHOCOLATE ECLAIR DAY ON THE GOLD COAST
Bam Bam Bakehouse propose a salted carmel éclair instead of a chocolate éclair.
CHOCOLATE ECLAIR DAY IN MELBOURNE
Choukette makes a chocolate éclair which is filled with a pure cacao paste 100% no sugar in this chocolate only in the crémé Pâtissière.
There is no obligation to pre-order but you can do so by email [email protected] or by phone 0393808680
CHOCOLATE ECLAIR DAY IN SYDNEY
Le Breton makes chocolate éclairs.
Madame & Yves offers a Valrhona dark chocolate éclair. They say theirs is special because the chocolate version of Chef Yves’ famous eclairs start with a perfect choux, and feature Valrhona dark chocolate pastry cream inside, topped with a Valrhona dark chocolate glaze and garnished with cacao nibs.
As their éclairs are often the first desserts to sell out for the day, pre-orders are always recommended. You can pre-order on their website and schedule collection for any time between 7am-4pm, 7-days a week.
CHOCOLATE ÉCLAIR DAY WINE PAIRING
Ashleigh Huggins from Clos Cachet recommends the Domaine du Trapadis – Vin Doux Naturel Rasteau “Grenat Red” 2022 for Chocolate Éclair Day:
Moving away from the classic Sauternes, a sweet wine such as a Vin Doux Naturel is the perfect rich style wine to support a chocolate eclair. This Rasteau holds notes of black berries and flowers but on the palate it surprises with its finesse, its natural expression and its greediness, with this fruit coulis side. This is the perfect finale to a meal, or a special treat over an afternoon tea.
So there you have it. Happy Chocolate Éclair Day! Where are your favourite éclairs from?
MORE FRENCH FOOD ARTICLES
International Croissant Day 2022: Warning don’t read this while you’re hungry!
Rôtisserie Chicken Day: A celebration of Napoleon Bonaparte’s favourite dish and a wine pairing
It’s Crêpe Suzette Day: discover the history of the dish and recommended French wine pairings
La Chandeleur: The perfect excuse to eat crêpes
Cheese Soufflé Day 2024: 10 facts and some French wine pairings
National Escargot Day: everything you need to know about the French delicacy
