Choux pastry forms the basis of many French desserts and can be seen in every patisserie window you stroll past, however people can be reluctant to give it a go at home. I think some people tend to get put off by all the different steps and the uncertainty of knowing when it is ready to be baked. I’ve put together this guide to explain the basics and hopefully encourage others to give it a go.
I find the most important thing to do when making choux pastry is to be prepared. If you have everything you need ready before you start, it will make your life much easier.
Start by preheating the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and leave to one side. Have a piping bag ready with the correct piping tip. I use a pf16 tip, which is a star tip with 16 points. Using a star tip over a round tip will give you less chance of cracking when the pastry is baking.
A quick internet search will show you lots of different recipes for choux. The simplest recipes will consist of just water, butter, flour and eggs, but in my opinion and after a few choux experiments, adding a few extra ingredients will yield a much better texture and flavour.
The liquid component of my choux recipe is half water and half milk. You can just use all water, however I’ve found adding milk gives a softer texture on the inside of the crisp shell and a richer flavour.
The flour used in the below recipe is bread flour. Bread flour has more protein than normal flour and the extra protein helps to hold the shape of the pastry once it has baked. I’ve used plain flour for choux in the past and it does work, but the final results are usually flatter than when I’ve used bread flour.
I’ve also added a small amount of salt and sugar. If you are planning on making savoury choux pastry, then leave out the sugar. The salt is needed in both sweet and savoury choux as it strengthens the effect of the proteins and helps prevent cracking.
The amount of eggs needed for choux pastry is not something that can be measured until you are actually making it. It all depends on the size of your eggs and how much the mixture is dried out before you add the eggs. The best thing to do is crack the eggs in a separate bowl and give them a light beat with a fork. Then add some egg a bit at a time. It’s most likely your choux will not require a nice even amount of egg and pouring in a small amount of egg at a time will help you get the correct consistency.
For the choux pastry you will need…
- 70ml semi-skimmed milk
- 70ml water
- 70g unsalted butter
- 10g caster sugar
- 5g salt
- 100g bread flour
- 3-4 eggs
Measure out all you ingredients in advance. The milk, water, sugar and the salt can all go in a large saucepan. Cut up the butter in to small cubes then add to the pan. Weigh out your flour and sieve it in to a separate bowl. Crack three eggs in to a bowl and beat together lightly with a fork. Have a fourth egg ready but don’t crack in to it yet as it may not be needed.
Start gently heating the saucepan on a low heat. The mix needs to eventually come to a boil, however, the sugar and salt needs to dissolve first and the butter needs to be completely melted before the mixture boils. This is why it’s important to cut the butter in to small cubes, as it will melt faster and means less of the liquid will evaporate.
The photo above shows the butter has completely melted. Now turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it is boiling, take off the heat and add the flour all in one go. With a wooden spoon, beat the mixture together until all the flour has been incorporated.
This next step is very important. The choux needs to go back on the heat to dry out. If the mixture is too wet at this stage, it will not rise properly in the oven. Place the saucepan back on a high heat and beat for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour and dry the mixture. It should come away from the sides of the pan and form a rough ball shape. Transfer to a stand mixture or a separate bowl.
Beat the dough for a few minutes to cool the mixture down. If you add the eggs to the mixture when it is too hot, they will cook and your pastry will be ruined, so be patient at this bit. Once the mixture has cooled slightly, add some of your egg and beat until it has been incorporated. Keep adding your egg a bit at a time. After each addition, check the consistency of the choux.
The choux should start to form a glossy paste. There are loads of different methods of testing when the choux is ready. The one I use, is to pick up some dough on a spatula and give it a gentle shake. The choux should fall a little reluctantly and leave a V shape hanging from the spatula.
If you need to use a fourth egg, crack in to a separate bowl and beat lightly with a fork first, then add a bit at a time. You probably won’t need the whole egg so adding a bit at a time will save you from ruining the choux.
Once the choux is ready, immediately transfer to the piping bag and start piping out on to your prepared baking tray. Pipe whatever shapes you like depending on what you plan on baking. I find it easier to hold the piping bag at a 45° angle. I used my choux to make éclairs. This recipe made 12 éclairs.
Bake your choux for about 30 minutes until brown, crisp and risen. Once baked, remove from the oven and make a small hole in the base to allow steam to escape. Leaving out this step will mean the steam stays inside the choux and causes the choux to be soggy. Leave your choux to cool on a wire rack. Once cool they can be filled, glazed and eaten.
