Our dearest, most valued readers, we have gathered you here today to ask but a simply task of you, to answer the question that has plagued us for centuries, drum roll please… are you a donut person or an eclair person?
At Edible Blooms we only ask the most serious of questions, and for this one you really need to go so deep into your soul you should pass some chakras on the way. Donuts and Eclairs are the steaks of dessert, they are the very foundation on which the industry of desserts were built, and yes, perhaps this is historically incorrect, but we are talking about the king and queen of the pastries people facts aren’t important. And we don’t think you don’t know but for clarification, of course donuts are the queen and eclairs are the king, again perhaps this is not based on the traditional definition of a ‘fact’ but we are talking about the chocolate bible not the big bang and in our chocolate bible donuts and eclairs are the desserts to trump all desserts, fact.
So ask yourselves, are you a donut person or an éclair person? We can feel you physically sweating through the screen, your weak knees and clammy hands are not to be feared our pastry loving friend, Edible Blooms is here to help you answer so you can rest easy tonight, heaven knows you can’t sleep on a question like this so let’s get to it!
Definitions
We are starting really simple folks, lets find out the birds and bees of pastries before we get too deep.
Eclairs
An éclair is a long and thin individual cake made out of choux pastry. This fabulous dessert is topped with milk chocolate and filled with cream *queue drooling*.
Donuts
A donut is a fried dessert of sweet dough and is traditionally in the shape of a ring or ball. YUM.
Pastry Fillings
This will be known as step one of the ‘are you a donut or an éclair person’ extravaganza, this is a very personal journey but you don’t have to take it alone and we are going to step by step this bad boy so take a deep breath.
Éclair fillings
Traditionally eclairs do only have one filling, but twists make life fun, jump onboard the crazy train.
Vanilla Cream
If anyone has ever said the words ‘vanilla cream’ and you’ve said ‘no thanks’ our genuine chocolatier professional opinion would be to see a therapist, vanilla cream is the eclair filling of all éclair fillings, 10/10.
Coffee cream
Coffee cream, gu-uys. We refuse to explain this one, we are tearing up just thinking about eating one.
Mocha cream
Coffee and chocolate, it’s where the sand meets the sea, a mocha éclair is poetry manifest.
Donut fillings
We are not messing around here people, you wanted to dive deep and deep we shall dive.
Jam
A classic, multiple flavours, gooey, rich, sweet and delicious, next.
Custard
Boy oh boy our dear friends vanilla custard is the flexible dessert we never asked for, but needed. Can it go on a pudding? Yes. Can you eat it on its own? Yes. It is a super delicious donut filling? Oh you bet your bottom donut it is.
Chocolate
MmMmm there is nothing like some gooey chocolate custard to fill that empty space in your heart, and by heart we mean the cavity of a donut, obviously. Chocolate custard wrapped in a donut is delicious, court is adjourned.
No filling
Ah the plot thickens! An éclair without filling isn’t an éclair but a donut can be pastry only and still maintain its pastry integrity.
History
Okay so we agree, they are both scrumdiddlyumptious, they both can have all the fillings, and are both made of sweet, fresh, doughy pastry that melts our chocolate covered hearts. If you haven’t already decided you may need a tie-breaker and we have the perfect one. It’s time for actual facts.
The Queen of Pastries: Donuts
First of all, the Oxford Companion of Food and Drink defines donuts as ‘deep fried cakes’ and explains that they were once referred to as ‘oil balls’ and we just think that is beautiful, further more we encourage you to share this fact at parties.
As with pretty much everything else, the concept of donuts traces back to ancient Rome and Greece, cooks would fry strips of pastry and cover them with different toppings. In Medieval times, Arabs would do similar and would drench these doughy balls in sweet sugary syrup, delish. These sweet treats made their way into Europe during the 1400’s and were introduced in America by Pilgrims and Dutch settlers.
The King Of Pastries: Eclairs
The humble éclair is a French pastry and actually comes from the word for ‘lightening’ (éclairage) due to the glistening chocolate on top of the sweet dessert.
The éclair is known to have originated in France during the turn of the nineteenth century. There are many food historians who believe they were first created by famous pastry chef for royalty in France, Marie-Antoine Carême. Sadly, little more is known of its origins but the term éclair was recognised in the oxford English dictionary in 1861. See history can be fun, and yummy.
If you still haven’t made your definitive choice it seems this can only come down to a taste test. Luckily Edible Blooms has a super wide range of fresh donuts and eclairs with all sorts of sweet delectable toppings to help you decide. Ah donuts and eclairs, equal rulers of the pastry kingdom but as we know in a democracy you may only cast your vote for one party, so which are you choosing?
