Eclairs

The éclair originated during the nineteenth century in France where it was called pain a la duchesse or petite duchesse until 1850. It is a popular member of the pie family served all over the world. The word is both in English and in French in the 1860s. The éclairs were first made by Antonin Careme a very famous French chef. In some parts of the U.S, Long Johns are marketed under the name eclairs even though the the two are not identical.

An eclair i s a long, thin pastry that is filled with cream and topped with icing. There is a variety of icing flavors to put inside the eclair, so it may include caramel or a Turkish coffee. The dough, which is the same that is used for profiterole, is typically piped into a log-like shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside.

There are plenty of places in Paris that have eclairs. But you won't find plain old coffee or chocolate at either place. Instead, be prepared for fruity combinations like raspberry and variations on the salted butter-caramel theme.