It’s not an easy task to find a type of baked good that hasn’t been done before (and done very well) here in Glasgow.

We’re truly spoilt for choice when it comes to independent bakers with a seemingly endless stream of pop-up businesses to cater to every sweet-toothed craving.

It's impressive then that husband and wife duo, Brendan and Arlene Lewis from Knightswood, have found their niche in baking and delivering beautifully crafted eclairs under the name of Eclectic Eclairs.

Glasgow Times:

Pictured: Brendan and Arlene Lewis owners and founders of Eclectic Eclairs

Telling the story of how the business came to be, Brendan said: “Myself and Arlene both come from hospitality backgrounds and have worked in the industry all our lives.

“We were on holiday in Russia a couple of years ago and spotted a lot of really fancy looking Eclairs.

“We tried some, and they were so good that the memory of them stuck in the back of our minds until the summer of lockdown last year.

 “We just thought why don’t we have a go at making some really fancy Eclairs ourselves?”

Glasgow Times:

Like many other new businesses in Glasgow, lockdown provided the couple with the push they needed to commit to pursuing the sweet idea that they just couldn’t shake.

Notoriously tricky to work with due to the pastry’s delicate nature, baking eclairs in bulk is a bold choice to make as a first-time business.

However, trained chef Brendan says that setting the bar high is something he and Arlene are well used to after years in the industry.

He said: “We started off from our kitchen at home making them for our family and friends and it’s just grown from there.

“We do both laugh about it sometimes because we know that we don’t make things easy for ourselves.

“I think that kind of attitude comes from working in the hospitality industry for so long, we want to do things properly.

“If you look at the market in Glasgow right now there are so many places doing traybakes, brownies or cookies.

“When it comes to eclairs they aren’t very easy to make, but we know that people will appreciate them.”

Glasgow Times:

On top of the technical skill that’s involved in making these artisan eclairs, the couple have found success thanks to their shared creative streak which drives them to find unique and interesting flavour combinations to keep their customers guessing.

Brendan said: “The chocolate orange always does well, we started out with that and other classic flavours like lemon meringue pie.

“But we do always like to get a bit creative with our flavours which can sometimes just come from spur of the moment inspiration.

“For example, when it was really hot outside this summer the idea came to us to make a 99 inspired éclair which had vanilla icing, strawberry sauce and a big chocolate flake.

“It tasted like the flavour of summer.”

Glasgow Times:

Keeping their menu fluid has certainly allowed Eclectic Eclairs to evolve, but Brendan says that it’s thanks to their loyal customer base that they have really started to blossom onto the Glasgow food scene.

He said: “We like to chop and change things up. I’d say we’ve done around 18 to 20 different flavours since we started out.

“We’re always adding to our website or taking some off and listening to customer feedback.

“At the moment we do home deliveries with a box of three different flavours which we post in advance on our social media so people know what they’ll be getting.

“We have done a couple of pop-up shops down in Dennistoun which have been really good.

“They got us a lot more attention and followers on social media because someone posted about it on a community Facebook page.

“That’s the way that the business has grown so far. We’ve not really advertised or paid for any marketing.

“It’s purely been through word of mouth which is just great."

Glasgow Times:

Taking their time with the business and putting the work into developing their products means that Brendan and Alrene have now reached an exciting crossroads with Eclectic Eclairs as they consider what the future will hold for them.

Brendan said: “We’re in the process of looking for a permanent unit right now because it’s getting quite tough to keep up with the demands of working from a domestic kitchen.

“We would love to have a space as a bakery with a little shop for collection.

“I think eclairs will always be what we do predominantly, but I know that with Arlene’s creative mind she has some other ideas on what we could do.

“Your usual bakery items but all with unexpected little twists which is the way we like to do things.

“It’s definitely exciting to look at the next step.

“It’s a little nerve-racking but we’re really hoping that within the next few weeks we’ll get to the point where we can say ‘this is it, we’re ready for the big time now'.”

Eclectic Eclairs are based in Glasgow's West End but deliver all over the city.

For more information click here.