Hi Elvis Tzialli.
Welcome to the Scoolinary community, and thank you for your questions!
Baking frozen éclairs:
When baking éclairs directly from the freezer at 180°C, the baking time won’t be exactly the same as for fresh éclairs. Frozen éclairs generally require a bit more time since they need to thaw and bake completely. A good guideline is to add 5–10 minutes to the standard baking time (depending on their size). However, you should always monitor them to ensure they reach an evenly golden color and that the bottoms are dry, which indicates they are ready. Reducing the temperature to 160–170°C after the first 10 minutes can also help prevent them from burning on the outside before fully baking on the inside.
Answering your second question:
Freshly baked éclairs have a crispy texture, but it’s normal for them to soften the next day due to internal moisture and the filling. If you plan to serve éclairs the following day, it’s best to reheat the shells slightly before filling them to restore their crispness. Another option is to bake and freeze the shells unfilled, then briefly warm them in the oven on the day of use.
As for serving them soft, it depends on the standards of your bakery and your customers’ expectations. Éclairs with a slightly soft texture are acceptable if they’re filled in advance and stored properly. However, to keep them crispy and fresh, it’s recommended to fill them on the same day of sale or reheat them before serving.
We hope this information is helpful.
Best regards!.