choux pastry

Impress with this traditional French pastry made up of two choux buns filled with pastry cream, topped with chocolate ganache and decorated with a whipped cream ‘collar’.

Equipment and preparation: You will need a piping bag with a 1.5cm/ ¾in plain nozzle, a small star nozzle and a long thin nozzle (or you could use a jam syringe) and a skewer.

Religieuse

60 grams/2¼oz butter,

75 grams/2½oz plain flour

eggs,

500 milliliters/18fl oz full-fat milk

vanilla pod, seeds only

75 grams/2½oz caster sugar

grams/¾oz cornflour

flour

150 milliliters/5fl oz double cream

chocolate

Easy Choux Pastry Recipe

(8floz/225 milliliters) milk

(4 oz/115 grams) butter

salt

(5 ounces 142 grams) all-purpose flour

eggs, (at room temperature)

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C), then butter and line a large cookie sheet, set aside.&nbsp;

Heat the milk, butter, and salt over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough.&nbsp;

Cook the dough, stirring constantly over low heat for 2 minutes or until the dough begins to coat the bottom of the pan.&nbsp;

Take the pan off the of the heat and allow the dough to cool slightly. Add in the eggs and stir using a wooden spoon until the eggs are fully incorporated and the mixture resembles a thick paste.&nbsp;

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip.

Pipe the choux pastry into 1 1/2 inches wide and 1-inch high rounds You should have about 18 - 20 puffs.&nbsp;

With a wet finger then lightly press down the swirl or peak of each puff. Then using your fingers, slick water drops all around the cookie sheet and puffs. This will create steam in the oven and help your puffs to rise up.&nbsp;

Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 10 minutes.&nbsp;

Remove the puff from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling with flavorings or topping.&nbsp;

Cover and store the puffs in the fridge for up to 3 days.&nbsp;

Learn how to make Perfect Choux Pastry step by step - The only recipe guide you will ever need to make choux pastry, with perfect results every time. Plus a troubleshooting guide for your choux pastry recipe.  Fool proof choux pastry to make profiteroles, eclairs, cream puffs and more.  Each pastry shell in this recipe comes from a spoonful of dough (either piped or spooned on to a baking sheet, roughly 2 inches in diameter). Baking time given here is based on this.EASY - This can be made by novice bakers. However, I highly recommend reading this recipe + post before attempting choux pastry for the first time. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions

Basic Choux Pastry and Troubleshooting guide

fl oz water

unsalted butter (cubed and at room temp.)

4.7 oz AP flour, sifted (use 5

oz eggs (weighed with the shell, about 4 large eggs)

tsp sea salt (use less

tbsp white sugar (optional)

tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Place salt, water, sugar (if using) and butter in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When the water is starting to boil (butter should be melted at this point), add the flour in one go (do this with the saucepan away from the stove/heat) and vigorously mix the flour in, so that it absorbs all of the water (use a wooden spoon or spatula to do this). When the flour has absorbed the water and it&#x27;s forming a dough, return the pan to the stove (medium heat).

Cook the dough for 1 - 3 minutes (over medium heat) while you mix and move it around in the pan until you get a dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan, forms a film or oil droplets on the bottom of the pan, and when you stick a regular tablespoon in the dough, it stays upright. (The cook time will vary depending on your stove top).

Transfer the dough to a bowl, and let it cool down slightly for a few minutes. Add the vanilla extract (if using), and then with a hand-held mixer (or whisk), mix the dough while adding the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Make sure the eggs are lightly beaten so that you can stop adding eggs immediately, when you reach the right consistency (i.e. a dough with a glossy sheen with pipeable consistency. You may or may not use up all the eggs, please see the post for details).

Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper and mist the surface with water (either using a mister or lightly sprinkle water with your hands - this is an optional step).

Pipe the desired shape on to the baking sheet - either using a piping bag fitted with a large tip (I use Wilton 1A or 2A tip, or you can cut the pastry bag opening instead), or spoon it on to the tray, using a teaspoon. Then with a damp finger, flatten the apex and any points.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes in the center of the oven, or until the choux pastry shells puff up and are golden brown on top. Do not open the oven door, at least until you have reached the 25 minute mark. Importantly, baking time depends on the size of your pastry shell. If you prefer a drier shell, bake for a couple of minutes longer.

During the last 5 - 10 minutes of baking, prick each shell with a skewer or toothpick and let them dry out in the oven while baking.&nbsp;

Remove from the oven, and let the choux pastry cases cool completely in a draft-free area. Preferably in a place that is not cold. (Letting them cool in an open but turned off oven is even better, but not necessary).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Fill with a sweet or savory filling and serve immediately. Or you can store cooled choux pastry shells in an air-tight container for up to one day. To store them for longer, keep them in the freezer in an air-tight container.

These French cheese puffs are made with deliciously stinky Gruyère.

Goug&#232;res Recipe

water

milk

unsalted butter, diced

black pepper

eggs

cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, milk, butter, pepper, and salt. Bring mixture to a boil. 

Add flour and immediately stir mixture with a wooden spoon until dough forms a ball that pulls away from sides of pan. 

Remove dough from heat and let cool for 2 minutes. Add first egg and beat until well combined. Add second egg and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese. 

Place dough in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch top and pipe dough into 1 1/2 inch rounds on baking sheet. Sprinkle balls with remaining cheese. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. 

This Classic Eclair recipe is a Pate a Choux based hollow pastry shell filled with creamy custard, then dipped into a shiny chocolate glaze. Simple, yet sophisticated and all around delicious chocolate eclair recipe!

Classic Éclair

sugar

vanilla extract or vanilla bean emulsion

unsalted butter

whole milk ((125 g = 1/2 cup))

water ((125 g = 1/2 cup))

all-purpose flour

eggs (at room temperature)

oz chocolate (chopped)

tbsp corn syrup

Mint leaves (washed, dried)

Whisk 6 egg yolks &amp; 3/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour together in a large bowl, add a little bit of milk if the mixture is too thick and difficult to whisk.

Bring 2 cups of milk to a boil.

Slowly pour the milk into the egg yolk mixture, continuously whisking. This is called ‘tempering the yolks’.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and bring to a boil, continuously stirring and going along the bottom of the pot in zigzag motion with a rubber spatula, to prevent scorching. It WILL stick if you stop.

Cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add 1 tbsp vanilla extract &amp; 2 oz butter. Allow the butter to melt and stir for it to incorporate.

Cover the custard with plastic wrap it touches the custard. To speed up the process you can transfer the custard into a jelly-roll pan, spread it thin, covering with plastic wrap will avoid skin formation. Refrigerate until ready to use.

How to Make the Custard

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Fit a pastry bag with plain 1/3 inch tip nozzle and drape the bag over a large glass.

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Whisk 5 eggs together.

In a heavy bottom, saucepan combine 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 4 oz butter, ¼ tsp sugar &amp; ¼ tp salt. Bring to a boil.

Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add 1 cup flour all at once, reduce heat to medium and start mixing the dough with a wooden spoon vigorously. Continue doing so for another 2-3 minutes to evaporate some of the moisture.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and start stirring the dough on medium speed for 1-2 minutes to cool it down slightly.

Add the eggs to the mixture in 4-5 additions, each time allowing the mixer to incorporate the eggs fully before adding more. The dough might separate at first, but it will come back together as you continue stirring and adding more eggs. The mixture should be thick but still fall off the paddle attachment in a thick ribbon. You might not add all eggs before this happens. It is ok.

Transfer the warm dough to the piping bag and pipe out 2-3 inch logs, about 2 inches apart. Place the first baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and continue baking until golden in color, about 25 minutes. DO NOT open the door before the éclairs are golden, they will deflate.

Keep the other sheet with piped logs in the freezer or refrigerator until the first sheet is out of the oven.

Allow the éclairs to cool.

How to make Pate a Choux

Combine all ingredients in a heatproof bowl, set over a pot of simmering water. Bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.

Warm up the mixture and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring it occasionally. Do not overheat. The mixture should only be warm, not hot.

Take off the heat and allow the chocolate to completely melt, stirring it every couple of minutes until chocolate melts.

How to make the Chocolate Glaze

Wash and dry thoroughly each leaf.

Set egg whites in a heatproof bowl, over simmering water and heat, stirring continuously until 140 degrees, or pretty hot to the touch.

Allow the egg whites to cool.

Dip each leaf into the egg whites, allowing most of the egg whites to drip off. The leaves should only be damp with egg white.

Dredge each leaf in the sugar on both sides and set on a paper towel or a cooling rack for sugar to harden up.

Mint Leaf Decoration

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/4 inch star/plain tip with custard.

Fill each éclair with custard by inserting the tip into the top of the pastry in 3 places, closer to both ends and in the middle, and squeezing the custard in until it almost starts to come out. Wipe off excess. Leave for 15 minutes for the skin to form in the places where you inserted the custard.

Carefully, dip top of each éclair into the chocolate glaze.

Top with 1 mint leaf as a decoration.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fill and Decorate the Classic Eclair

Choux au Craquelin with Salted Caramel Cream - A crisp choux pastry with a cookie crust, filled with a light, airy, creamy salted caramel diplomat cream. Advance - This recipe is for those who are comfortable making regular choux pastry, and pastry cream recipes. There are a few dessert techniques involved. Read the recipe and plan the prep work in advance. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions. ‌‌Weight‌ ‌measurements‌ ‌are‌ ‌recommended‌ ‌for‌ ‌accurate‌ ‌results.‌ ‌You‌ ‌can‌ ‌access‌ ‌metric‌ ‌weight‌ ‌measurements‌ ‌using‌ ‌the‌ ‌toggle‌ ‌button‌ ‌below‌ ‌the‌ ‌ingredient‌ ‌list.‌ 

Craquelin Choux Pastry With Salted Caramel Cream

oz unsalted butter ((1 stick))

kosher salt

4.5 oz light brown sugar (about 2/3 cup)

4.5 oz AP flour (about 1 cup + 1 tbsp)

150 g white sugar (¾ cup)

½ tsp kosher salt salt

warm cream (see notes)

cornstarch (cornflour)

vanilla bean paste

unsalted butter (softened)

gelatin powder

water (at room temperature)

whipping cream (chilled)

confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Choux pastry (baking directions below.)

Craquelin Choux Pastry with Salted Caramel Cream

Place the butter, salt and sugar in a bowl and cream the ingredients together until creamy and fluffy.

Add the flour and mix until the mixture looks crumbly. Using your hands, bring the crumbly bits of dough together to form a dough.

Split the dough into two equal sized portions, and place each portion inside a 12 x 12 inch ziploc bag. Roll out each piece inside the ziploc bag until it’s about 2 - 3 mm thick. Remove excess air in the ziploc bag and close it. Place both ziploc bags on a flat tray and keep them in the freezer overnight (OR until completely frozen).

Craquelin (makes enough for 1 ½ batches, so you can freeze the extra for later)

MAKING THE CARAMEL - Sprinkle the sugar over the surface of a stainless steel pan or non-stick pan. Make sure the sugar is sprinkled in a thin layer so that it&#x27;s easier for it to caramelize, and also make sure there&#x27;s no water in the pan and on utensils.

Heat over medium heat, taking care not to introduce water into the sugar. Stir the sugar as it melts with a heat-proof spatula. The sugar will stick to the spatula, but because it’s non-stick, it'll come off easily too.

Continue heating the sugar, while stirring frequently, until the sugar turns into caramel (a golden to amber color) (Please be careful NOT to touch the sugar or the pan as they will be very hot at this point!).

When the color is amber, add the ½ cup of warm cream into the pan. PLEASE STAND BACK AS YOU ADD THE CREAM AT THIS STAGE, because the pan is extremely hot and you don&#x27;t want splash back. Stir soon after adding the cream, to dissolve the sugar. This will take a few minutes.

When the caramel has mostly dissolved in the cream, add the rest of the milk, salt, and vanilla into the pan. Heat the milk until it’s nearly boiling, while stirring, to dissolve the rest of the sugar. Now you have a caramel flavored milk base for the custard.

While the caramel milk is heating (to dissolve all the caramel), in a separate bowl or small jug, add the eggs and cornstarch (cornflour), and whisk until you have a smooth mixture.

Temper the egg mixture by adding a little of the hot caramel milk in a slow and steady stream, while whisking the eggs constantly. After adding enough caramel milk to warm up the mixture, pour the egg-milk mixture back into the pan with the rest of the caramel milk.

Heat the egg-caramel milk mixture while whisking/stirring constantly, until the milk starts to thicken. Stir well to make sure the eggs don’t curdle and stick to the bottom of the pan as the custard heats and thickens. I like to switch between a whisk and a spatula to make sure the custard stays smooth while it’s thickening.

Stir the custard until it comes to a boil (the first big bubble to breakthrough the surface from the custard). When the custard starts to boil, remove it from the heat. If there are clumps, pass the custard through a fine sieve to remove them.

Add the butter to the hot custard and mix until the butter has incorporated into it. Pour the custard into a bowl, and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap is touching the whole surface of the custard.

Allow the custard to cool down to room temperature, then store it in the fridge for a few hours until chilled, and it's ready to be mixed with the cream.

Salted Caramel Pastry Cream (Custard)

Place the water in a small microwave-proof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water. Allow the gelatin to bloom for about 10 minutes.

After the gelatin has bloomed, microwave the gelatin for about 10 - 20 seconds to dissolve the gelatin.

Place the chilled cream in a clean bowl and add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract. Start whisking the cream with a hand mixer at medium-high speed. Pour in the dissolved gelatin while whisking the cream to ensure the gelatin gets mixed in well. Continue whisking until the cream forms soft peaks. Keep in the fridge, covered, until ready to use.

Stabilized Chantilly Cream

Place about 2 cups of the salted caramel pastry cream in a large bowl. Add the chantilly cream and fold it into the pastry cream.

If you'd like more salted caramel flavor, then fold in the rest of the pastry cream as well. Keep covered in the fridge until you’re ready to fill the choux pastries. When you're ready to fill the cream puffs, transfer the diplomat cream into a pastry bag, that's attached with a small round tip.

Salted Caramel Diplomat Cream

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking trays with parchment paper or silpat.

Take out the craquelin discs and place them on a smooth cutting board. Using a two inch cookie cutter, cut out 2 inch circles from the craquelin (about 22- 24 circles). Keep them on a non-stick surface (parchment paper or silpat), and in the freezer until needed.

Make 1 batch of choux pastry dough according to this recipe and place the dough in a pastry bag, which is attached with either a ½ inch round tip or ½ inch French star tip.

Pipe choux pastry mounds on the silpat (about 2 inches in diameter). Keep the tip upright and pipe out smooth mounds (piping tip touching the dough surface while you pipe). Gently twist and remove the tip when you're done.&nbsp;

Carefully place a disc of craquelin on top and gently press it into the choux to make sure it sticks and is stable. (I piped about 12 choux buns on one half sheet pan).

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Do not open the door before the 30 minutes, to prevent the pastries from collapsing.

After 30 minutes, open the oven door and partially pull out the baking tray. Quickly (but gently), prick each pastry with a sharp toothpick  to release any steam inside the pastries. Return the tray back to the oven and bake for a further 5 - 10 minutes, until the pastries are a little darker in color.

Remove the choux pastries from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes in a draft-free place.

Choux Pastry

Using a round or star tip, cut out a hole in the bottom of each of the cooled choux pastry cases.

Fill the choux pastries with the salted caramel diplomat cream. Optional step - lightly dust the choux au craquelin with confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately.&nbsp;

Salted caramel craquelin choux pastry

Award-winning writer, Fiona Beckett, shares her recipe for this classic 1970s dessert

Profiteroles

butter(preferably unsalted),

tbsp caster sugar

strong white flour,sifted

eggs,lightly beaten

double cream

vanilla extract

cocoa powder

caster sugar

Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. To make the profiteroles, put the butter and 2 tsp of the caster sugar in a saucepan with 150ml water. Place the pan over a low heat until the butter and sugar have melted, then bring to the boil. Take off the heat, add the flour all at once and beat energetically with a wooden spoon until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan.

Leave to cool for 5 mins, then beat in the eggs bit by bit until you have a stiff, glossy mixture (this process is much easier in a food processor). Rinse two baking trays with cold water, shaking off any excess so they are slightly damp (this helps the pastry to rise). Using 2 teaspoons, spoon blobs of the mixture onto the baking trays. Then place in the oven and cook for about 18-20 mins until well risen and brown. Remove the profiteroles from the oven and cut a small slit in the base of each one so they don’t collapse. Cool on a wire rack.

When they’re cold, whip the cream lightly until just holding its shape. Sweeten to taste with remaining sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract. Cut the profiteroles in half, fill them with the sweetened cream and pile them up on a plate. You can refrigerate them for 1-2 hrs at this point but not for any longer as the pastry will go soggy.

To make the sauce, sift the cocoa powder into a bowl. Put the sugar in a pan with 100ml water and warm over a low heat until dissolved. Bring to the boil, cook for 1 min, then pour over the cocoa powder and stir well until smooth. Return the sauce to the pan, cook for 1 min then set aside for 15 mins before drizzling over the profiteroles.

A classic eclair recipe of light choux pastry filled with rich crème pâtissière. Make the basic buns, then fill with on-trend flavours and colourful glazes for a stunning afternoon tea treat

Eclairs

plain flour

milliliters double cream

white caster sugar

tbsp cornflour

disposable piping bags

1.5cm round piping nozzle

First, make the choux pastry. Put the butter in a saucepan with 450ml water. Sieve the flour into a large bowl and set aside. Bring the butter and water to a fast boil, simmer until the butter has melted, then tip in the flour and beat like mad with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and is lump-free. Tip into the bowl and spread the thick paste up the sides a little to help it cool quickly, then leave for 10 mins.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 and cut two pieces of baking parchment to fit two baking sheets. Using a ruler and pen, mark 10 lines about 12cm long over each piece, leaving plenty of space between the lines, then flip the parchment over. Fit a piping bag with a large round piping nozzle, about 1.5cm wide.

When the flour paste has cooled but is not cold, start adding the egg, bit by bit, beating well between each addition until you have a smooth batter which will reluctantly drop off the end of your spoon (you can do this in a freestanding mixer if you have one). You may not need to use all the egg, so add it slowly. Transfer to your piping bag and use a little of the mixture to stick the parchment to your trays.

Pipe the choux onto the baking sheet, using the lines as a guide. Pipe slowly so the eclairs aren’t too skinny – each one should be about 2.5cm wide x 12cm long. Bake for 35-40 mins, swapping the trays around for the final 10 mins. The choux should be puffed, golden and sound hollow when tapped. You may wish to sacrifice one eclair to make sure the inside is completely dried out – if it’s still moist, the eclair will sink when cooling. Once baked, leave to cool completely. (Can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container, reheat in the oven for 5-10 mins to crisp up before filling.) Split each eclair through the middle with a serrated knife.

Now, make the crème pâtissière. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan. Heat until just simmering, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile, tip the egg yolks into a bowl and add the sugar and cornflour, whisking together until smooth. Pour over the milk mixture, mix, then pour back into the saucepan. Cook over a medium heat for 5-8 mins until the crème pâtissière thickens to a thick custard consistency. Sieve into a jug, cover the surface with cling film and chill for at least 3 hrs, or up to 3 days.

To fill and glaze your eclairs, choose one of our flavours - <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/raspberry-cardamom-eclairs">raspberry &amp; cardamom</a>, <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lemon-passion-fruit-eclairs">lemon &amp; passion fruit</a>, <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/salted-caramel-popcorn-eclairs">salted caramel &amp; popcorn</a> or <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/elderflower-meringue-eclairs">elderflower &amp; meringue</a>. For more help, see our <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/videos/techniques/how-make-choux-pastry-and-eclairs">how to make choux pastry and eclairs video</a>.

Master the art of nostalgic pastries guaranteed to light up your eyes and tempt your tastebuds.

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The most viewed choux pastry recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Religieuse

Easy Choux Pastry Recipe

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Profiteroles

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Gougères Recipe