Choux pastry is used in many desserts. Want to make perfect choux pastry every time? Follow this step-by-step recipe from Pastry Freak!
Ingredients
150 g of water
2 g of fleur de sel
2 g of sugar
65 g of butter
85g of T55 flour
3 eggs (approximately 160 g)
Instructions
In a saucepan, heat the water with the sugar, butter and fleur de sel over medium heat.
When the mixture starts to simmer, remove from the heat and add the flour all at once, then mix.
When the mixture forms a fairly compact paste, put the pan back on low heat and stir with a spatula for 5 to 6 minutes to dry out the paste, i.e., remove the excess moisture.
Spread the dough on the sides of the pan with each turn of the spatula to facilitate the evaporation of the water.
When the panade is ready, i.e. when the dough forms a compact ball with a satiny appearance, pour it into the bowl of the mixer and mix it for a few moments using the paddle to cool it down (this step can be done by hand using a simple spatula).
In a mixing bowl, crack and then whisk the eggs.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Add the beaten eggs in 3 batches, mixing each time until fully incorporated.
The dough has a perfect consistency when it forms a small wave on its surface when you lift the spatula upwards or when a groove formed with the spatula slowly closes.
Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with a wide, smooth nozzle and then pipe choux pastries or éclairs.
Place the choux pastries in the oven, then immediately lower the oven temperature to 180°C and let them cook for 35 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the choux pastries.
Lower the oven temperature to 140°C 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
The choux pastries should be well puffed up and golden brown on the surface at the end of cooking.
The Variations:
Choux pastry can be colored. Add the water-soluble food coloring with the first egg and adjust the color when adding the following eggs.
Useful Information:
Storage: 24 hours in the refrigerator (covered with cling film) / 24 hours in the freezer (well covered with cling film)
Baking: Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and immediately reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) when you put the choux pastry in the oven. 10 minutes before the end of baking, reduce the temperature to 140°C (275°F). Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the choux. Never open the oven door during baking!
Uses: Cream puffs, éclairs, Paris-Brest, Saint-Honoré, chouquettes, religieuses, Japanese biscuits…
Notes
Warning! Never open the oven door while baking choux pastry. This will inevitably cause the pastry to collapse, and it's irreversible!
The egg incorporation step can be done with a mixer using the paddle attachment (flat whisk).
If you have any choux pastry left over after making a batch, don't waste it! Pipe small choux buns, sprinkle with pearl sugar and voila! You'll have pretty little choux buns! (Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180°C).
For choux pastry, it's difficult to estimate a precise number of eggs to add to the dough. Since eggs vary in size and weight, you'll likely need to adjust the quantity to achieve the right consistency. To do this, beat an extra egg and gradually incorporate it in small amounts until the choux pastry reaches the desired consistency.
In my opinion, you can only master choux pastry by failing at least once. Indeed, the most delicate step in the recipe is the one that involves "drying out" the dough.
– If the dough is too wet, it won't hold its shape when piped: it will spread out, perhaps even spill over, and won't rise properly during baking. In this case, you'll have to start over;
– If the dough is too dry, it will lose its elasticity and crack, or even open up during baking. Gradually adjust the amount of eggs before baking.
The texture, consistency, and satiny appearance that the panade should have at the end of this stage are very subtle to perceive and describe. The correct consistency is mainly perceived by a sensation in the wrist, a certain suppleness, as it dries.
Most often, a failed choux pastry is one that's too wet. There's no point in baking it; you'll just waste your time (and your enthusiasm), and you won't be able to fill the choux anyway. You need to start a new batch immediately, spending more time drying it out. It's by comparing the appearance and texture of the failed pastry to the second batch you succeed at that you'll grasp all the secrets of perfect choux pastry.
For coffee or chocolate pastry cream (Inspired by Piroulie)
- 6 egg yolks
- 100g of sugar
- 1 sachet of vanilla sugar
- 60g of cornstarch
- 500 ml of milk (or soy milk)
- 100g of dark chocolate or coffee extract
- 50g of butter or margarine
For the icing
- 45g of sugar and 4cl of water
- 250g of fondant
- a few drops of coffee/cocoa powder extract
Realization
Pastry cream
Heat the milk until it boils. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the cornstarch. Slowly pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the heat and cook, stirring continuously, until thickened. Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate or coffee extract and butter. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To fill the éclairs, I make two small holes on the bottom on each side and fill them with a small nozzle.
For the fondant
Heat the water and sugar to a boil for a few seconds, just to melt the sugar. Then let it cool.
Melt the fondant over very low heat: it shouldn't exceed 37°C or it won't be shiny; ideally, it should be 30°C. Add the coffee or cocoa. If the fondant isn't liquid enough, thin it with sugar syrup, adding it gradually until you reach the desired consistency.
A cup corresponds to 250 ml when I mention "cup" in my recipes. Here are two tables that will help you with your conversions if you don't have a cup!
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