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Pate a choux cream puffs
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4.62 from 13 reviews

Pate a Choux Recipe

Eileen Gray
Pate a Choux is an essential pastry recipe that is the base for many desserts; cream puffs, eclairs, gougères, churros just to name a few.
Prep Time30 minutes
Bake Time20 minutes
Drying Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings:24 puffs

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces water (1 cup)
  • 3 ounces unsalted butter (6 tablespoons)
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 5 ounces bread flour (1 cup (see note 1))
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 egg whites

Instructions

  • Combine the water, butter, salt and sugar in a saucepan. Bring the water to a full boil.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the flour all a once. Vigorously stir the batter until the flour is absorbed and there are no lumps.
  • Return the pan to medium low heat and continue stirring for 3 minutes. The batter will come together and form a smooth, cohesive ball.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the batter to a food processor fitted with a blade (if mixing by hand transfer to a mixing bowl). With the processor running, add eggs and whites in a steady stream. Mix until the batter comes together. (If mixing by hand add the eggs in three batches. After each addition, stir vigorously until the batter comes together.)
  • Use the batter right away to pipe eclairs or cream puffs.

Video

Notes

1. If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
2. Save the extra yolks to make pastry cream filling.
3. The baked cream puffs or eclairs freeze very well. Pack them into freezer bags (don't overcrowd or crush) and freeze for up to a month. To use, line the frozen puffs on a sheet pan and heat in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Cool and fill.

Nutrition

Serving: 1puffs | Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.2mg