You only need a handful of staple ingredients to make pâte à choux at home. This recipe is traditional and yields perfect results every time. Use it to make cream puffs, profiteroles, eclairs, and so much more.
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Total Time 50 minutesminutes
Servings 20
Ingredients
1cup(240ml)water
½cup(113g)unsalted butter, cut into pieces
½teaspoonsalt
1cup(130g)all-purpose flour, sifted
4(200g)large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
Instructions
Make the choux pastry
Measure out all the ingredients and have them set out on your work surface. Use weight measurements for best results.
Combine the water, butter, and salt in a medium stainless steel pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the butter melts completely and the mixture comes to a full boil.
Add all of the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until no traces of dry flour are visible.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes, until the paste pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a smooth ball. You will notice a skin has formed on the bottom of the pot.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool, stirring occasionally, until the paste feels slightly warm to the touch. If it's too hot it will cook the eggs and ruin the pastries.
Add about 1/3 of the eggs and use the wooden spoon to vigorously mix until smooth and creamy. The dough will break but it will slowly become creamy. Once the dough is smooth and creamy, add another 1/3 of the eggs. Mix until the dough become smooth and creamy again then mix in the final 1/3 eggs. Stir until the mixture becomes smooth, stiff, and shiny. (You may not need all the eggs. Test the batter as you go. It should fall off the spoon in a v-shaped ribbon. Or drag your finger along the surface of the dough to create a trough. If the sides stay up, the dough has enough egg.)
Let cool to room temperature before using.
To make profiteroles or cream puffs
Set the rack in the middle of the oven and heat at 400°F for 30 minutes before baking.
Fit a large piping bag with a Wilton 1A piping tip. Fill the bag with the dough and push the dough to the tip.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Use a little of the dough in the corners to secure the parchment paper in place.
Pipe mounds 2-inches in diameter and space them about 3-inches apart. (You can also use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop and drop mounds of dough on the prepared baking sheet. This technique yields uniform pastries.)
Use a moistened fingertip to gently press down any pointed tips on the mounds.
Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until they are brown and completely hard on the outside. Do not open the oven during baking or they might collapse.
Transfer the pastries to a wire rack and immediately poke a skewer all the way through to release the steam trapped inside.
Set the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F for 45 minutes before baking.
Fit a large piping bag with a French star piping tip. Fill the bag with the dough and push the dough to the tip.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Use a little of the dough in the corners to secure the parchment paper in place.
Holding the pastry bag at a 45° angle, pipe lines of dough about 4 to 5-inches long and space them about 3-inches apart.
Use a moistened fingertip to gently press down any pointed tips on the ends. And brush the tops with melted butter.
Bake the eclairs for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 20 minutes or until the shells are brown and completely firm. Do not open the oven during baking or they might collapse.
Transfer the pastries to a wire rack and immediately poke a skewer all the way through to release the steam trapped inside.
Cool completely then use the tip of a clean French star piping tip to cut two holes into the bottom of each eclair. Fill with pastry cream and top with chocolate glaze.
Notes
To prevent the baked pastries from getting soggy, place the skewered pastries back into the warm oven, with it off, and let them continue to dry out for 5-10 minutes. This will keep them crisp.
Make ahead tip
Prepared choux pastry can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using it. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the dough to prevent a skin from forming.
Baked and unfilled pastry shells can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Filled pastry shells will keep for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.