Many people are probably confused about what to call those round puffs of pastry filled with vanilla cream that you see in bakeries everywhere. Today we're going to find the answer.
Choux cream and eclair are two names that have confused many people for years. Walk into almost any bakery and you're sure to find these two troublemakers sitting side by side. So why, when you order an eclair, do they hand you the long one?
Let's clear things up once and for all: if you want the round filled pastry, or the long one with sauce on top, what should you ask for?
Choux Cream
In French, choux cream is known as "choux à la crème", which literally means "cabbage with cream". "Choux" is the French word for cabbage, so choux cream is shaped like a little round cabbage filled with various creams. The name "choux cream" is simply a shortened form that is easier to say.
Eclair
The eclair, also called "bâton de Jacob", means "lightning" in French, which is why this pastry is long like a bolt of lightning. Traditionally it was topped with chocolate and not filled with cream as we see in bakeries today.
In short, choux cream and eclairs are two different French pastries with different shapes; they simply share the same dough as their main ingredient.
Do They Taste Very Different?
Now that you know what each pastry is and what to call it, you may wonder: if they're so similar, are they made the same way, and do they taste the same? We've put together the techniques for both so you can compare.
Both choux cream and eclairs share the same main ingredients: water, fat, flour and eggs, and some recipes add milk. When baked, the surface turns a lovely glossy colour, but the baking methods are completely different.
Choux Cream
- Choux cream shells are heated twice.
- The first heating happens while mixing the dough. The flour must be mixed into rapidly boiling water with melted butter, because choux shells need steam to puff up in the oven. When the flour is heated it absorbs the water and swells; almost all the water and melted butter are absorbed and the mixture forms a ball of dough. Mixed at normal temperature, the mixture would stay runny and couldn't be piped.
- The second heating is in the oven, ideally at 190°C. The heat turns the water held in the dough into steam, which makes the pastry puff up and creates a hollow inside.
Filling Choux Cream With Custard
Wait until both the shells and the filling are cool so they keep longer without spoiling. Because choux cream is larger than an eclair, the custard is usually mixed with whipped cream to make it light, in a quantity that can be piped into the shells and still hold its shape.
Eclairs
- Pipe and bake straight away: pipe the choux dough and put it in the oven immediately. Don't leave it sitting, or the surface will dry out and won't rise in the oven.
- Bake at a high temperature for a good colour and structure: start at around 200–220°C so the dough puffs and sets, then lower to 190°C so the shell colours nicely and firms up further. Don't take them out too early or the shells will shrink and flatten.
Filling Eclairs With Custard
- Wait until both the eclair shells and the custard have cooled.
- If the shells are hot but the filling is cold, the filling won't keep long and spoils quickly.
- If the shells are cold but the filling is hot, the shells turn soggy and the eclairs also spoil quickly.
That should clear up how choux cream and eclairs differ. Now you can walk into any bakery and order either one with confidence.
Sources: falconforprofessional.com, gourmetandcuisine.com
