The eclairs at Longford cafe Hubert and Dan have garnered many fans, with foodies flocking to the cafe to grab a picture perfect pastry.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hubert and Dan owner Danielle Lefrancois’ time as a chef in Paris and at restaurants in Melbourne helped inspire the elaborate eclairs.
"People go crazy over them actually...they just sell out every day," Mrs Lefrancois said.
Delectable flavour combinations include pretzel praline with caramel corn and chocolate creme, and raspberry and milk crumb.
Malted milk and salted caramel filled eclairs with pretzel, marshmallow, popping candy and freeze dried fruit are also on the rotating menu.
She said people would drive significant distances to pick up the decorated pastries.
A batch of between 12 and 15 eclairs is made daily.
The pastry of the eclairs required about an hour’s work.
The creme patissiere which fills the eclair required about half an hour, and could be flavoured with ingredients including chocolate, raspberries or vanilla bean.
Mrs Lefrancois said she is constantly seeking inspiration on the internet on the endless search for eclair flavour combinations that will take them “to the next level”.
Mrs Lefrancois said flavour combinations depended on her mood.
Hubert and Dan has been open for about a year and a half, and do catering and a weekly dinner as well as their cafe cuisine.
The ‘Hubert’ in the cafe’s name honours Mrs Lefrancois’ husband Fabien’s late father, who was a French chef.
"[Hubert] had restaurants his whole life, and then Fabien did his apprenticeship with his dad, and then when I started my apprenticeship Fabien taught me," Ms Lefrancois said.
Mrs Lefrancois grew up in Launceston and moved to Melbourne when she was 17-years-old.
She worked at iconic French restaurant France-Soir, which continues to influence her cooking.
"I think it's just in me, from French restaurants...it kind of always influences what I do," she said.
After 10 years in Melbourne Mrs Lefrancois and her husband moved to France, where they lived 15 minutes from Paris.
Mrs Lefrancois said the “very hectic” city made her appreciate Tasmania.
"I think it made me appreciate [Tasmania] more, how good life is here,” she said.