Choux Pastry
Choux is the bridge between simple cooking and architectural pastry. By mastering the transition from a thick, glossy paste to a piped mound, you gain the ability to create everything from cream puffs to eclairs.
Control the moisture levels
The goal is to cook out as much water as possible before adding the eggs. Use a heavy-bottomed pan to prevent the base from scorching while you work.
- heavy-bottomed saucepan
- wooden spoon
- piping bag with plain tip
- baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- whisk
What goes in.
- 125 mlwater
- 125 mlwhole milk
- 115 gunsalted butter, cubed
- 5 ggranulated sugar
- 3 gsalt
- 150 gall-purpose flour
- 4 largeeggs, lightly beaten
Checking the consistency
Your dough is ready when you pull your spoon through the mixture and the paste hanging off the end forms a slow, smooth 'V' shape rather than breaking or running.
The method.
Heat liquids
Combine water, milk, butter, sugar, and salt in the saucepan over medium heat until the butter is fully melted and the liquid reaches a rolling boil.
Add flour
Dump all the flour in at once. Turn the heat to low and stir vigorously with the wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides and forms a cohesive ball.
Dry the panade
Keep stirring the ball of dough over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. You want a thin film of starch to coat the bottom of the pan; this indicates the excess moisture has evaporated.
Emulsify eggs
Transfer the dough to a bowl to cool slightly for five minutes. Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, incorporating each addition fully before adding more. Stop when the dough reaches the 'V' stage.
Bake
Pipe mounds onto parchment. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes, then drop the oven temperature to 175°C for another 15 to 20 minutes until the shells are firm and light gold.
Release steam
Immediately poke a small hole in the side of each puff with a paring knife to allow steam to escape; this prevents the interior from becoming soggy.
Other turns to take.
Gougeres
Fold in 50g of finely grated Gruyere cheese and a pinch of black pepper before piping.
Paris-Brest
Pipe the dough into a large ring instead of individual puffs, then slice horizontally once cooled.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking, or the puffs will collapse.
If your dough seems too stiff after the final egg, add a teaspoon of warm water at a time until you reach the target consistency.
Bake until the shells feel light for their size; extra time in the oven is better than pulling them out while the centers are still damp.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my puffs flatten in the oven?
Usually because there was too much moisture left in the dough or the oven temperature was too low to create the initial steam expansion.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
The dough is best used immediately. Once piped and baked, you can keep the unfilled shells in an airtight container for a day or freeze them for up to a month.
How real cooks make it.
No one’s shared their version yet. Be the first to put your kitchen on the map.
Cook this your way?
Share your version — your steps, your story. We’ll feature it right here.
Add your recipe