How to Fill Eclairs

[Red Owl]

This assumes you have baked a fine éclair and what to do now.  My French book cook said to make a cut on the side to let air escape, turn off the oven and then return to the oven another 10 minutes.  Did that.  Next, cut in half lengthwise.  Up until now I never eclairs were filled but never though how to fill them. Okay. Cut in half lengthwise so there was a top and bottom and then I scooped out all the interior soft dough.  Then let fully cool, filled with vanilla pudding, put the top back on then chocolate frosting/glaze on top.  Tasted fine but if you use a knife and fork to eat them, they sort of fall apart.  I then checked the internet. Well they had you make a small hole on the bottom, one at either end, let cool, then use a pastry tube to fill.  This method doesn't "scoop out the soft interior dough and when I tried to fill- the pudding would not go into the éclair. I ended up having to cut them lengthwise.  Now I'm thinking in cutting lengthwise, have it higher up to hold more filling.

In any event, how do the rest of you finish and fill eclairs? Thanks.

Another insight. The first batch, I dropped an egg shape on the baking sheet and then used a butter knife to stretch out into an éclair shape They didn't look ideal but when they baked they filled out fine.  On the second batch, I used a zip lock bag with the corner cut off- they looked great but once baked- were not more different from those I formed with the butter knife.

All help appreciated.

Edited July 18, 2023 by Smithy
Adjusted title for clarity (log)

[AlaMoi]

uhmm, from drooling in a-many-a-bakery, there's two variants for eclairs.

one is the 'cut and spoon on' . . .

the other the no cut, 'tube cream filled' type.

 

never experimented with the make/bake bit - but I'd suspect the type of  dough is a major factor in whether they have to be 'cut&filled' or 'tube stuffed'

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Its been decades since I have made eclairs.  But as I recall they are somewhat hollow inside, like a creampuff, and the custard can be piped in.

 

[Rajala]

I bake them properly so there's no filling to scoop out. 

 

No, but on a serious note. I most of the times fill them from the bottom.

 

Am I reading this properly? Cut the eclair during baking? Your French cook book seems weird (but I'm not an eclair expert) I've never heard of that. I put the oven at 190° C (or whatever it is), put the eclairs in the oven and lower the temperature to like 150° C, directly after the oven is closed. The thing is that you want to kick them of with "lots" of heat to get the crust properly formed and then dry them out.

 

 

[pastrygirl]

2 hours ago, Rajala said:

Am I reading this properly? Cut the eclair during baking? Your French cook book seems weird (but I'm not an eclair expert) I've never heard of that.

 

I've seen that advice, you cut the choux after baking then dry them out to make them more crisp. 

 

Agree that there shouldn't be much interior dough to scoop out, just a few webs. 

 

Disagree that falling apart while being eaten is a flaw - it's a cream-filled pastry, it doesn't need to be sturdy

[AlaMoi]

there are different "definitions" to an eclair -

 

tube filled is one of the more common, but

not a tube-filled style
https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/chocolate-eclairs

this is a bake&cut&scoop version
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chocolate-eclairs/

[Red Owl]

If you look at the photos on the net, there are a lot of Eclairs cut in half- usually (I think) to put in more filling. BUT, until I got interested in this, I always thought they were Not cut in half.  They are (without scooping out) somewhat hollow inside but there is a little bit of soft dough inside.

In any event, I used vanilla puddling and chocolate cake frosting on my first two attempts.  Now I'll try to improve on that.

[pastrygirl]

When I make cream puffs, I like to slice one side but leave a hinge, clamshell style.  Then pipe in whipped ganache.

 

Using some water instead of all milk and adding extra egg whites instead of all whole eggs is supposed to make lighter, crisper choux.

Edited July 25, 2023 by pastrygirl (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I could be wrong, but I don't believe I have ever seen or been served an eclair that had been cut in half nor hinged.  Granted I don't often shop for eclairs.

 

[Red Owl]

I've never seen a cut one in a supermarket bakery, etc.- only photos on the net. New to me, that's why I asked.

[curls]

On 7/24/2023 at 11:14 AM, Red Owl said:

If you look at the photos on the net, there are a lot of Eclairs cut in half- usually (I think) to put in more filling. BUT, until I got interested in this, I always thought they were Not cut in half.  They are (without scooping out) somewhat hollow inside but there is a little bit of soft dough inside.

In any event, I used vanilla puddling and chocolate cake frosting on my first two attempts.  Now I'll try to improve on that.

Suggestions for your improvements...

- pastry cream instead of vanilla pudding

- chocolate glaze instead of cake frosting

- reading this choux paste topic, https://forums.egullet.org/topic/74731-pichet-ongs-pate-choux/

- reading Chef Eddy's eclair post, https://chefeddy.com/2010/03/choux-paste/

 

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by curls (log)

[Merry Berry]

There are so many great things to fill choux pastry with!!  Depending on what type of filling you want to use will often dictate which style of eclairs you will want to dry.

 

Firm fillings such as frangipane or whipped ganache, you can slice in two and then fill the bottom and dip the top in chocolate, caramel, etc.  Should not have to scoop anything out since a well-made choux pastry is hollow with only the webbing left.

 

Soft fillings (my usual go-to) such as pastry creams, curds, etc usually require the choux pastry being left whole with vents for them to cool.  Most times for me, that is a toothpick hole on both ends or 3 underneath.  If I make a pastry cream, I make it a  mousseline with whipped cream.  Makes it easier to pipe and cuts down on the sweetness, since to me, eclairs are not supposed to be overly sweet.  When piping, you can either pipe from one end, or if it is longer, pipe from both ends so it does not burst from piping too much on one end trying to get it to the other side.

 

My favorite of all  choux pastry is the Paris Brest though.  Incorporates the pastry cream and hazelnut and/or almond frangipane for the filling.  So good, and to me, elegant and decadent!!

 

Hope that helps!!