How to make Choux Pastry?
When making choux pastry it's really important to weight the ingredients and to be precise, that's why we added the measurments of eggs as well, for all of you who want to be extra precise.
Milk and water - Use full fat milk and water. The milk will add a nice, rich flavor.
Flour - Always use all-purpose flour, plain flour or flour 00, other flours can’t be used in this recipe because they don’t have enough gluten and starch in them.
Butter - Use your favorite butter, but you CAN'T substitute it with coconut oil, margarine or other oils.
Eggs - For the easiest way to incorporate eggs, you can whisk them in a bowl beforehand or even use an immersion blender, then gradually pour the eggs into the mixture, while mixing constantly with a hand mixer. Otherwise add one egg at a time, adding another egg only when the previous has been completely incorporated. Don't forget to mix at all times, using an electric mixer.
Sugar - No sugar in this recipe, which makes them perfect for both savory and sweet dishes. You can optionally add a tbsp of sugar to the choux pastry (at the same time as you add salt) if you are making a sweet dessert.
Important: When the butter is completely melted and the mixture is boiling, at all the flour at once and whisk very well to get a nice, thick texture (photo above - left) there shouldn’t be any white lumps or white spots from flour.
When you add the eggs, mix with an electric mixer for easier and quicker method to make choux pastry. You need to get a nice, glossy texture, as seen on the photo below - right.
Tip that always helps: The dough must stay on a wooden spoon and slowly, with gravitation fall back from the spoon into the saucepan (photo below - left.)
The choux pastry is too thin : If the choux pastry is too thin, it won’t stay on the wooden spoon and it will quickly fall back into the saucepan. In that case the choux pastry won’t be fluffy enough and it won’t rise enough while baking. Reason? It wasn’t cooked enough or we added too many eggs.
The choux pastry is too thick: If the choux pastry doesn’t fall from the wooden spoon, then it’s too thick. Whisk an egg in a bowl and gradually in a thin stream start adding a small amount of the whisked egg into the mixture, while mixing with an electric mixer. Check the consistency.
Size: Every little pipped choux pastry should be around 4 cm - 5 cm (2-inch) in diameter. If they are larger or smaller, adapt the cooking time.
Using a water moistened finger, smooth down the peaks.
Bake: Bake for about 30 minutes in total. Don't open the oven door for the first 20 minutes or they will collapse.
What sweet or savory fillings to use in choux pastry?
The possibilities are endless You can make profiteroles, croquembouches, éclairs, beignets, churros or savory treats like potato croquettes or fill them with a simple, yet incredibly tasty cheese sauce.
METHOD
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Choux Pastry
Preheat a standard oven to 200 °C / 390 °F or preheat a convection oven to 190 °C / 375 °F. Pour milk and water into a saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and butter. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, so that the butter melts completely. Reduce the heat to low heat, add all-purpose flour, all at once, while whisking vigorously at all times to get a nice, thick texture.
TipIf you are making choux pastry for dessert, you can optionally add one tbsp of sugar (the same time as you add salt). -
Choux Pastry
When the flour is completely incorporated, cook for another minute on low heat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan and the bottom of the pan is clean. The dough should be glossy and smooth, but not dry. Remove from the heat and cool for about 2 - 3 minutes.
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add the eggs
While the mixture is still hot, add the eggs. For the easiest way to incorporate eggs, you can whisk them in a bowl beforehand or even use an immersion blender, then gradually pour the eggs into the mixture, while mixing constantly with a hand mixer. Otherwise add one egg at a time, adding another egg only when the previous has been completely incorporated. Don't forget to mix at all times, using an electric mixer.
TipAt this point you can store the choux pastry in a pastry bag in a fridge for up to 2 days. When you decide to use it, place it our on room temperature for at least 10 minutes. -
Bake and Serve
Transfer the choux pastry to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (1/2 inch) round tip. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and pipe 5 cm (2-inch) mounds about 6 cm (3 inches) apart. The dough more then doubles while baking so it must have enough space. Using a water moistened finger, smooth down the peaks. Place the first baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes in a standard oven at 200 °C / 390 °F or in a convection oven at 190 °C / 375 °F. Then open the door of the oven to let the steam out, close the door again and bake for another 10 minutes at 180 °C / 355 °F or at 170 °C / 340 °F or until they are beutifully golden brown outside and fluffy and hollow inside.
TipDon't open the oven door for the first 20 minutes or they will collapse.You can freeze pipped choux pastry for up to a month. When you are ready to use the frozen choux pastry place the baking sheet with frozen choux pastry in a preheated oven an continue as described in method above. -
Store or serve
You can store the baked choux pastry at room temperature for one day or you can serve it immediately. Fill it with your favorite sweet or savory cream. Our favorite savory filling is this cheese sauce. Enjoy.
TipBaked choux pastry can be frozen in covered container for up to 3 weeks. To refresh baked choux pastry preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F and bake for 5 minutes.
