Modern Eclairs

If you can’t remember the last time you ate an eclair, that means it has been too long. Eclairs have been on a steady climb back to popularity over the past few years and show no signs of slowing down. In Modern Eclairs: and Other Sweet and Savory Puffs, you’ll find dozens of recipes for creative eclairs and other interesting pastries that you can make with choux.

Pate a choux, or choux paste, is different from other pastries because it doesn’t require a cheamical leavning agent or use any of the texhniques used in other pastries. The dough is cooked on the stovetop and combined with eggs, creating a fairly moist dough that produces lots of steam when baked, leading to a high rising pastry with a hollow interior that is just right for stuffing with whipped creams and other delectable fillings. The book begins with a brief introduction to the ingredients and tools that you need, then focuses on the basic recipes that you’ll use over and over as you bake your way through the book: pate a choux dough, vanilla and chocolate pastry creams, chocolate and white glazes, whipped cream and royal icing. Once you’re through the introductory chapters, it’s all about the recipes. The rest of the book is divided into categories that include classic, fruity and chocolate flavors, as well as frozen desserts, holiday-themed goodies, and savory pastries. he recipes are easy to follow and range from simple flavors that you might expect to find in a pastry to more exotic ones, such as a White Chocolate Yuzu Eclair.

The book is packed with pictures of the finished pastries that will get your mouth watering – and that will inspire you to practice your piping skills to replicate the looks at home. Choux paste is easy to work with and fun to eat, even if your first batches of eclairs don’t turn out to be as perfectly straight as those pictured in the book. A little practice and you’ll be turning out bakery-quality pastries in no time, as choux is one of the most versatile pastry doughs you can have in your repertoire.