This recipe for choux pastry will get you going to all sorts of exciting things. Choux pastry is used for profiteroles, eclairs, sweet and savoury choux buns and Gougere, which is a savoury dish of chicken and sauce poured into the centre of a choux ring, to name but a few. Once made the pastry is normally piped onto a baking sheet or around the edges of a baking dish, cooked and then filled. It puffs up and tends to be filled with air, this means if you cut your choux open you can fill it with tasty ingredients. Mix a little cheese into the batter and you'll have an instant cheey choux for extra depth of flavour in your savoury dishes.
Link to measurement conversion chart
Ingredients
- 300ml water
- 75g butter
- 150g plain flour
- 5 large eggs, beaten
- optional 50g gruyere or cheddar cheese
You will also need
- A small saucepan
- a wooden spoon or electric whisk with a beater attachment
- a jug for the beaten eggs
- Piping bag with a large plain nozzle of you want piped choux buns
- 2 lined baking trays or something to cook your pastry in or on depending upon what you plan to make.
Method
Preheat your oven to 220c
- Bring the water to boil then add the butter and a pinch of salt, heat until the butter melts.
- Remove the pan from the heat then gradually beat in the flour with a wooden spoon, the paste will dry out in the heat of the pan, this is fine.
- Using a wooden spoon or electric whisk with a beater attachment, gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time. Little and often is very important as if you add the too much egg at once the pastry will be runny and no use. Do not add more flour if this happens, you will have to start again.
- The pastry should have the appearance of a thick paste once done. If adding cheese stir in at this point and keep stiring until the cheese is melted
- Put the paste into a piping bag and pipe;
- 2 - 3cm balls for profitteroles
- 5 - 7cm diameter rings for buns
- 10 - 12cm strips for eclairs
- Around the edge of a baking dish to cook and fill with a sweet or savoury filling.
If you have enjoyed this recipe and have some photo's of tasty dishes using choux pastry to share, we would love to hear from you, or you can post them on our Facebook page.
Here are some of the tasty Choux based meals we have made to inspire you;
- Profiterols with chocolate sauce
- Berry puff
- Choux buns with Chantilly cream
We hope you have enjoyed these recipes
Happy eating!