Description
Classic French Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux) is a versatile dough used to make cream puffs, éclairs, and other delightful pastries. Light, airy, and golden-crisp, this recipe yields perfect puffed pastries with hollow centers ready for filling with creams or savory mixtures.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Dry Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional for sweet pastry)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy clean-up.
- Combine Liquids and Butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, butter, sugar (if using), and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally until the butter has fully melted.
- Add Flour and Form Dough: Reduce the heat to low and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball. Continue stirring and cooking for 1–2 more minutes to slightly dry the dough.
- Cool and Incorporate Eggs: Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 5 minutes to prevent cooking the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough becomes smooth, shiny, and pipeable while maintaining its shape.
- Pipe the Dough: Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Pipe desired shapes, such as small mounds for cream puffs, logs for éclairs, or rings for Paris-Brest, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake at High Heat: Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pastries have puffed up and are golden brown.
- Dry Out Centres: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes to dry out the centers, ensuring they hold their shape and don’t collapse.
- Cool Slowly: Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the pastries cool inside for 10 minutes to prevent sudden temperature changes that could cause them to collapse. Cool completely before filling.
Notes
- Choux pastry can be made ahead of time and frozen either unbaked or baked for convenience.
- Store baked choux pastries in an airtight container for up to 2 days for best freshness.
- Perfect for making cream puffs, éclairs, gougères, and various classic French pastries.
- For a savory twist, incorporate cheese and herbs into the dough before baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 puff
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 0.5g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
