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The Ultimate Cream Puff Dough (Pâte à Choux)
A versatile French pastry dough made by cooking a flour-based panade on the stovetop before incorporating eggs. The baked dough rises into hollow, crisp shells suitable for cream puffs, éclairs, churros, crullers, and croquembouche.
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Ingredients
- 200 g water
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 4 g sugar
- 4 g salt
- 135 g all-purpose flour
- 4.5 eggs (Use 4 to 5 eggs as needed; add them one at a time and use the V-shape test to determine whether the final egg is necessary.)
- water (Optional, for adjusting the dough; add 1 tablespoon at a time only if the dough remains too dry.)
Steps
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, water, sugar, and salt. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally until the butter has completely melted.
- 3
Reduce the heat to low. Add all of the flour at once and immediately stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth, thick dough forms.
- 4
Continue stirring the dough over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the flour slightly. The panade should come together into a cohesive mass and pull away cleanly from the sides of the saucepan.
- 5
Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the panade to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until the dough has cooled slightly; it should be warm but not hot enough to cook the eggs.
- 6
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed before adding the next egg.
- 7
Check the consistency by lifting a spatula-full of dough and letting it fall back into the bowl. The dough should drop in a long, stretchy V shape. If the V is too short, beat in one additional egg. If the dough is still too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it loosens to the proper consistency.
- 8
Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Use a star tip if piping éclairs.
- 9
Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheet into the desired shapes. For cream puffs, pipe small mounds about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter. For éclairs, pipe strips about 4 inches (10 cm) long, leaving space between pieces for expansion.
- 10
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 to 35 minutes, until the pastries are golden brown and crisp.
- 11
Remove the pastries from the oven and make a small slit in each one to release trapped steam. This helps the shells remain crisp rather than becoming soggy.
- 12
Transfer the pastries to a wire rack and let them cool completely before filling or using.
Notes
Baked pâte à choux can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for longer storage. To refresh the shells before serving, place them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes, then cool completely before filling.
Nutrition per serving
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