Choux Pastry

Following my previous post of pastry cream, it is time for making choux pastry!  This pastry dough is used to make profiteroles or choux a la creme, eclairs, Paris-Brest, Saint-Honoré or croquembouche.

This very humble and simple pastry can produce very fancy result such as the new hit "eclair" that can be found with different filling and colorful topping :)

The very first step, we must decide first whether we want to use only water that produces crispier and more rigid end product or to use a combination of water and milk that gives a softer and browner shell.

Let us begin to bake!


Choux Pastry

Ingredients:

250 ml water or 125 ml water + 125 ml full-cream milk
125 gr flour, sifted
100 gr butter or you can use margarine as well
4 eggs (large)
1 tsp sugar
½  tsp salt

 (1 beaten egg, to glaze) * optional

Methods:

• Add water (or milk and water), sugar, salt and diced butter into a saucepan then bring to a boil over medium heat then stir until the butter melts. 

• Add the sifted flour and stir continuously until flour is fully incorporated. You´ll get lumps if you whisk too slow or pause during steering up the mixture.

• The dough is done when it no longer sticks to the saucepan and leaves thin layer of crust on the bottom of pan (It takes about 3-4 minutes).

• Transfer the dough into a mixing bowl and cool it slightly by whisking the mixture then leave it to cool for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.

• Stir in the eggs one at a time with a spatula or with an electric mixer.

• We can start piping and use the dough straight away or can be refrigerated overnight  or frozen for up to 1 month before baking (Thaw the dough before using).

• After piping, bake them in a 180°C oven for 32-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.  The baking time depends on the size of the pieces.

• Poke the puffs with a toothpick to release the steam from inside.  This will prevent the risk of collapsing (deflating) puffs. 

• Transfer the puffs to a cooling rack and cool them completely.   Or if you want a crispy shells put them back to the oven, with the oven door slightly open for about 10-15 min to let the shells completely dry out, then cool them completely.
  
  
• The puffs can be filled or can be refrigerated in an airtight container or bag overnight. Put the refrigerated puffs in a 100°C oven for a few minutes to crisp them up again if necessary. Then fill the puffs with your favorite filling.

You should give a try to my favorite filling Crème Pâtissière à la Vanille ( Vanilla Pastry Cream )

Happy baking!