National Chocolate Eclair Day is observed annually on June 22nd. This is a day for everyone to enjoy a delicious cream-filled pastry that is covered in smooth chocolate.
The French make many delicacies from a dough called pate a choux. One of these pastries is the Eclair. It is piped into an oblong shape using a pastry bag. When baked, it is light and crispy on the outside and hollow on the inside making it the perfect avenue for transporting creamy vanilla or chocolate creme.
The word “eclair” comes from the French word, meaning “flash of lightning.” The connection between this and this French pastry remains unclear.
Originating during the nineteenth century in France, the eclair was first called “pain à la Duchesse” or “petite Duchesse”. It is believed, by food historians, that eclairs were first made by French chef Antonin Careme (1784-1833).
The 1884 Boston Cooking School Cook Book, by Mrs. D.A. Lincoln, has the first known English-language recipe for eclairs.
Long Johns are marketed under the name eclairs in some parts of the United States. The two are not quite identical. Long Johns are made with donut pastry and typically filled with a vanilla pudding or custard, making it a simpler and less expensive alternative to the eclair.