éclair

American  

[ey-klair, ih-klair, ey-klair] / eɪˈklɛər, ɪˈklɛər, ˈeɪ klɛər /

noun

1. a finger-shaped cream puff, filled with whipped cream, custard, or pastry cream, often coated with icing.

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éclair British  

/ ɪˈklɛə, eɪˈklɛə /

noun

1. a finger-shaped cake of choux pastry, usually filled with cream and covered with chocolate

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Etymology

Origin of éclair

1860–65; < French: literally, lightning (flash), Old French esclair, noun derivative of esclairier to light, flash < Vulgar Latin *exclariāre, for Latin exclārāre, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + clārāre to make bright, derivative of clārus clear

Explanation

An eclair is a delicious French pastry that's filled with cream and topped with chocolate. You might think of an eclair as a fancy donut — although Parisians might disagree with you. The French éclair means "flash of lightning," and the scrumptious pastry got its name from the tendency people have to eat eclairs "in a flash." The 19th century Chambers Dictionary famously defined the eclair as "a cake, long in shape but short in duration." An eclair is like a stretched-out cream puff, choux dough baked and filled with creamy custard. Try one and see how long it lasts.

Related Words

• bread
• cake
• croissant
• doughnut
• phyllo
• pie