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Choux Pastry

A versatile cooked pastry paste for éclairs, profiteroles and savoury puffs, crisp outside and hollow enough to fill.

By Gary Burfield-Wallis First published Updated
Assortment of choux pastries including éclairs and profiteroles.

At a glance

Recipe summary

Prep
25 min
Cook
30 min
Rest
20 min
Total
1 hr 15 min
Serves
About 20 small puffs
Skill
Moderate

Choux is unusual because the flour is cooked before the eggs are added. Steam generated in the oven expands the paste and creates the hollow centre.

Flour, eggs, butter and other ingredients arranged for choux pastry.

What you need

Ingredients

Metric US Ingredient
240 ml 1 cup water
115 g ½ cup unsalted butter Cubed.
1.25 ml ¼ tsp fine salt
5 ml 1 tsp caster sugar Optional for sweet choux.
120 g 1 cup plain flour
4 large 4 large eggs Lightly beaten; you may not need every drop.

How to make it

Method

  1. Put the water, butter, salt and optional sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a full boil so the butter is completely melted.
  2. Remove briefly from the heat, add the 120 g flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon.
  3. Return to low heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the dough forms a ball and a thin film appears on the base of the pan.
  4. Transfer to a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs a little at a time until the dough is smooth, glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V shape.
  5. Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / 425°F and line a baking tray.
  6. Pipe or spoon the dough into small mounds, leaving room for expansion.
  7. Put the tray in the oven, immediately reduce to 190°C / 170°C fan / 375°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until puffed, crisp and golden. Do not open the door early.
  8. Pierce each puff to release steam and return to the switched-off oven for 5 minutes if the centres need drying. Cool before filling.

Useful notes

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Mixing bowl
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Piping bag and nozzle optional

Substitutions

  • Use milk for part of the water for a richer pastry.
  • Add grated hard cheese or herbs for savoury puffs.
  • Pipe into fingers for éclairs or small mounds for profiteroles.

Allergen notes

  • Contains wheat, egg and milk.

Storage

Unfilled baked choux can be kept airtight for 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month. Re-crisp briefly in a moderate oven. Fill shortly before serving.

Tips

  • Cook the flour paste until it leaves a film on the pan.
  • Add the egg gradually because flour and egg size vary.
  • Dry the baked shells well so they stay hollow rather than collapsing.