I've been trying a variety of techniques for eclair shells, but my latest batch is a happy accident.

I was getting ready to pipe and bake them last night when my wife had a minor medical issue that required my attention for a hour or two. So I turned the oven off and stuck the piping bag in the fridge.

I piped and baked them around noon today, and letting the dough hydrate overnight was a real game-changer!

The only issue I noted was that cutting off the piping cleanly on each shell was a little more challenging, but these are the best shells I've baked so far!