Signature Éclairs by Joakim Prat

Recognized as one of the youngest Michelin Star chefs, Joakim Prat took by storm the gastronomic scene in Barcelona and London. His pastry career is nothing but extraordinary, his style is a charming mix of playful creativity, innovation and meticulous attention to detail, always pushing for perfection. 

His very first book is a poetry dedicated to his first passion: the Éclair. In the 320 pages of the book published in English, Joakim generously shares his pastry vision and passion for éclairs, his innovative techniques and recipes. A celebration of the Éclair, showcased and thoroughly explained through detailed instructions, over 1000 step by step photos, Chef’s tips and tricks, this is a beautiful book that dissects the creation process of the “perfect éclair”.

The journey in the colorful world of éclairs starts with a thorough PREPARATION SECTION explaining the ingredients, equipment and tools used, the baking process of choux and éclairs.

The BASIC RECIPE SECTION is organized into various chapters featuring foundational recipes that can be mixed and matched to create a variety of products. 

The ideal éclair in Joakim’s vision has a golden-brown éclair shell with a thin and crispy outside and moist inside. The book dedicates an entire chapter to the PATE A CHOUX, to help you understand and master the creation of the ideal éclair shell: classic pate a choux, pate a choux JP style, piping and baking, etc. All recipes presented can be with gluten or gluten-free.

After that, our attention goes to the “inside” of the éclair, in Joakim’s vision generously filled with silky and light creams, less sweet, well balanced with complementing flavors and textures.  

Different elements can be combined to obtain the desired results, each category being thoroughly explained in the next chapters of the book: creams, mousses, fruit coulis and gels, caramel and pralines, sables and crumble, macarons, etc.

As pastry is first and foremost experienced through the eyes, Joakim’s signature éclair is irresistible, colorful and glamorous. So special attention is dedicated in the book to different glazes and decorations.

The recipe design is unique with the readers’ needs in mind, ingredients are presented in grams (g), pounds (lbs) and percentages (%). Chef’s Tips and step by step photos of the work process aim to help you better understand and make the recipes in your own kitchen.

THE SIGNATURE COLLECTION section showcases 38 beautiful signature creations, both sweet and savory, with the aim to inspire you to create a myriad of éclair versions yourself. Products are structured in 3 levels of difficulty (level 1, 2 and 3) with detailed assembly process and step by step photos.

“Joakim shares in his first book his genuine devotion for excellence and the massive amount of work behind achieving what I like to call the ‘the perfect recipes’, the ones that have been so deeply explored that there is no more room for improvement!” Eric ORTUNO, Pastry Chef & Co-founder L’Atelier Barcelona.

“Joakim had developed his personal style focusing on a refined aesthetic, creating a recognizable signature. His boldness is time and time again put on display in his pâtisserie, of which the éclair is the perfect embodiment.” Amaury GUICHON, Chocolatier.

“Joakim brings the éclair to a new era, lending it an unparalleled sophistication, sculpted with original flavors and texture associations, celebrating a refined vision of a true modern rendition.” Yann COUVREUR, Pastry Chef Owner.

Dive into the colorful realm of Joakim’s signature éclairs, let this book not only inspire you to replicate Joakim’s exquisite creations but also empower you to create your own unique pastry delights.