Choux pastry (a.k.a. pâte à choux) is a wonderfully light dough that’s used to make gnocchi, cream puffs, and éclairs. Learn how to make it yourself and dazzle everyone at your next party!
CHOUX PASTRY: YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND
Choux pastry is one of my greatest allies in the kitchen.
It’s a versatile recipe that can be turned into savoury appetizers or classic desserts that most folks just can’t get enough of.
Unfortunately, a lot of people seem to shy away from attempting to make their own because it looks intimidating.
What this means for you is that when you give this a go yourself, you will wow your family and friends, impressing them with your kitchen prowess.
CHOUX PASTRY RECIPE VIDEO
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WHAT IS CHOUX PASTRY?
Choux pastry, also known as pâte à choux, is a light, airy dough that can be famously filled with all kinds of delicious things (don’t worry, I’m getting there!).
The ingredient list is a simple one with six items: water, butter, flour, salt, sugar, and eggs.
Choux pastry leavens with steam, but if you want to get into the nitty gritty of how this happens, you can check out what Spruce Eats has to say about it.
WHAT DOES CHOUX EVEN MEAN?
Choux is french for cabbages and is pronounced “shoo”.
Isn’t that pretty? Choux.
It can also be used as a term of endearment, as in, mon petit chou. “My little cabbage” just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?
I digress.
Choux pastry gets its name because the puffs come out of the oven looking like tiny cabbages.
WHAT CAN I USE CHOUX PASTRY FOR?
I mentioned earlier that choux can be used for either sweet or savoury purposes, so let’s take a look at some of the possibilities, shall we?
CHOUX PASTRY APPETIZERS
CHEESE PUFFS
Oh, my stars. You need to try these.
Before you transfer the piped choux to the oven, sprinkle them with shredded gruyère, parmesan or cheddar cheese.
In French they’re called gougères,
CRAB PUFFS
Cut the baked choux in half and spoon in your favourite crab salad.
HERBED GOAT CHEESE PUFFS
Whip up goat cheese with fresh dill and chives. To make it less dense, lighten the mixture by folding in whipped cream and then fill away!
SALMON PUFFS
Fill the finished puffs with a smoked salmon mousse, or with crème fraîche and thin slices of smoked salmon for a delightful bite.
CHOUX PASTRY DESSERTS
CHOUQUETTES
Before baking the choux, sprinkle them with coarse sugar.
There’s a technique to this, but I wasn’t able to get my hands on coarse sugar in time for the video shoot.
NOTE: Once the sugar is on, immediately bake them or freeze them lest they deflate.
CREAM PUFFS
The alternative names for these sweet treats are profiteroles and choux à la crème. Make these by filling the baked shells with whipped cream or pastry cream.
CROQUEMBOUCHE
This is an elaborate structure of choux à la crème fused together by caramel.
The French tend to save these for special occasions, like weddings. Croquembouches are fun to take apart, but they require an advanced skill level to build.
Don’t let that stop you from attempting your own though!
ECLAIRS
Eclairs are how you cheer someone up when they’re having a bad day. Make them by piping 4-5″ long lines, then filling the baked shells with pastry cream.
A lot of store bought eclairs are dipped in chocolate fondant, but they’re so much better when they’re actually coated in real melted chocolate.
PARIS-BREST
To make this classic French pastry, pipe and bake a thick, big circle of choux paste.
Slice it in half and fill it with a praline mousseline cream.
Finish it with sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar.
CREAM PUFF SWANS
These are an iconic dessert, but they’re a rare sight.
If you make them, they won’t last very long!
Watch the video up above to see how it’s done!
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOUX PASTRY
This recipe makes around a pound and a half of dough.
This translates into twelve eclairs, six large cream puffs, or a dozen swans.
I advise doubling the recipe so you can have a couple of Ziplock bags of puffs in the freezer for easy appetizers.
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4-6 eggs
CHOUX PASTRY INSTRUCTIONS
- Put the water and butter in a medium to large sauce pan and bring to a boil.
- Add the salt and sugar.
- With a cooking spoon in hand, dump in the flour and stir vigorously. The flour will cook and the dough will come together into a ball. At this stage, remove the pot from the heat.
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, allow the mixer to run at medium speed. This will help cool down the choux paste. Alternatively, if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do this in a bowl
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets.
- Test the bottom of the bowl to check the heat level. It’s reasonably cool when you can comfortably hold the inside of your wrist to the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, allowing the egg to be completely absorbed before adding the next. You may have to add more or less eggs, depending on how thick the dough is.
- Test the dough to see if it’s ready by taking off the paddle attachment and holding it up. You may have to do this several times. There should be a slight shine to the dough and it should fall in a thick ribbon.
- Fill a piping bag with the dough. Squeeze the bag into the bowl to release any air that may be trapped inside. Work quickly. Choux dough shouldn’t be left out too long as it gets harder to work with as it cools.
- Bake the choux pastry for 20 minutes at 400ºF. When the timer goes off, turn down the temperature to 300ºF and continue baking for another 20 minutes.
- When the choux pastry is golden, test for doneness by picking one up and tapping on the bottom. It should be light as a feather and sound hollow.
BEST PRACTICES
Make a double batch of choux pastry and freeze the baked shells. These are fantastic to have in your back pocket for parties and potlucks! All you have to do is fill them with a quick crab salad or whipped cream for an easy appetizer or dessert.Once the choux pastry is transferred to a new bowl for cooling, immediately soak the pot with cold water.Once you put your choux pastry in the oven, leave it closed! Opening the oven prematurely may result in deflation.Don't be tempted to take your choux out of the oven too early or they will deflate. Test the choux by picking one up. If it feels light as a feather and produces a hollow sound when you tap on the bottom, they're done.
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PRINT CHOUX PASTRY RECIPE
Choux Pastry for Eclairs and Profiteroles
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4-6 eggs
Instructions
- Put the water and butter in a medium to large sauce pan and bring to a boil.
- Add the salt and sugar.
- With a cooking spoon in hand, dump in the flour and stir vigorously. The flour will cook and the dough will come together into a ball. At this stage, remove the pot from the heat.
- Transfer the dough to a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, allow the mixer to run at medium speed. This will help cool down the choux paste. Alternatively, if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do this in a bowl
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone sheets.
- Test the bottom of the bowl to check the heat level. It’s reasonably cool when you can comfortably hold the inside of your wrist to the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, allowing the egg to be completely absorbed before adding the next. You may have to add more or less eggs, depending on how thick the dough is.
- Test the dough to see if it’s ready by taking off the paddle attachment and holding it up. You may have to do this several times. There should be a slight shine to the dough and it should fall in a thick ribbon.
- Fill a piping bag with the dough. Squeeze the bag into the bowl to release any air that may be trapped inside. Work quickly. Choux dough shouldn’t be left out too long as it gets harder to work with as it cools.
- Bake the choux pastry for 20 minutes at 400ºWhen the timer goes off, turn down the temperature to 300ºF and continue baking for another 20 minutes.
- When the choux pastry is golden, test for doneness by picking one up and tapping on the bottom. It should be light as a feather and sound hollow.
Notes
PIN IT FOR LATER
Love and gratitude,
Choux Pastry, pretty labour intensive, but I am definitely trying this recipe. Typically, I make ‘Shoe’ Pastry. Looks and tastes like the soul of a shoe. Hopefully, I will have better luck with these! What’s your secret for flakey pie pastry?
Haha, it’s not something I make everyday, that’s for sure! Actually, I used to make it almost everyday, but I’m not paid to do that anymore. It’s funny that you ask, but I don’t believe I’ve ever made pie pastry with the goal of it being flakey! I’m all about the flavour, which means I almost always make it with butter. I’ll start experimenting though and see what I come up with!