Choux Pastry

I am very open about my fear of dough. I frequently think about my predicament. Not being able to create and manipulate dough is really a debilitating issue to have in the kitchen! Especially a kitchen often roamed in despair by a dessert-loving husband. The thing about Choux pastry that had me out of my chair is it isn’t technically a dough. Because it’s cooked.

First, boil together in a medium sized saucepan 1 cup water and 1 stick of unsalted butter. Once boiling, add 1 cup flour sifted with ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir together vigorously for a few minutes, then transfer to a mixing bowl.

With the paddle on, turn the mixer on low and let it knead the dough for about two and a half minutes to release heat. The next step is to add four eggs, one at a time, turning the mixer on medium high (5-7) after each egg to incorporate them well into the dough.

Next it’s on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet into a hot 450 oven for 15 minutes. Check on them then reduce the heat to 325 and allow to further cook the insides of the puffs. Otherwise, the dough will taste very much like an omlete bread. Transfer to a cooling rake and then do whatever you like with them. I split mine and added chocolate custard. Hey, I had two dozens eggs to use after coming home from nine days away!

One thing to mention, it’s very important to wait at least two and a half minutes for the mixer to release enough heat so that the eggs don’t curdle. I did this the first time when I tried to mix in the eggs by hand. It was an odd sight. The dough separated into lumps between the cooked farm fresh yolks.