Dive into the delightful world of choux pastry with this easy and rewarding recipe. These light and airy pastry puffs are perfect for filling with a variety of delicious creams, such as a rich pistachio ganache. Follow these steps to create beautifully puffed profiteroles that will impress your family and friends with their professional quality and taste.
Why You'll Love This: You’ll love this choux pastry recipe for its simplicity and versatility. The process of making choux pastry is straightforward, yet the results are impressive. The pastry puffs up beautifully in the oven, creating a hollow center that's perfect for filling with your favorite creams and ganaches. This recipe is great for those who love to bake and want to try their hand at a classic pastry technique. The end result is light, airy, and delicious, making it a great choice for desserts or savory appetizers.
Perfect Occasion: These choux pastries are perfect for any special occasion, such as birthdays, holidays, or dinner parties. They also make an excellent treat for afternoon tea or a weekend baking project. Their elegant appearance and delightful taste make them a crowd-pleaser, ensuring that they will be the star of any dessert table. Whether you fill them with sweet or savory fillings, these choux pastries are sure to impress.
Decoration Tips: For a beautiful presentation, dust the filled choux pastries with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted chocolate. You can also dip the tops in a glaze made from powdered sugar and milk, then sprinkle with chopped nuts or edible glitter. If you’re feeling adventurous, try piping different shapes or using decorative piping tips to create unique designs. Fresh fruit or a sprinkle of cocoa powder can also add a lovely finishing touch.
Ingredients:
- 110ml water
- 110ml whole milk
- 110g butter
- 120g all-purpose flour
- Approximately 4 medium eggs
- A pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions:
- In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt and sugar. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, bring the water, milk, and butter to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and add the flour mixture all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Let the dough cool for a couple of minutes to slightly reduce the temperature.
- Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add the beaten eggs to the dough one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. The dough should be smooth and slightly thick, not runny. To test the consistency, take a bit of dough and form a small ball; if it holds its shape, the dough is ready.
- Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with your preferred nozzle.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe out the choux pastry into small mounds, leaving enough space between each to allow for expansion.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F) with heat from both top and bottom. Once preheated, reduce the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and bake the choux pastries for about 15 minutes, or until they have puffed up and turned golden brown.
- Lower the temperature to 160°C (320°F) and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to ensure they are fully dry and crisp. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and let the pastries sit in the oven for another 15 minutes to dry out completely.
Filling Suggestions: Once cooled, fill the choux pastries with your choice of filling, such as pistachio ganache, whipped cream, or custard.
Enjoy your homemade choux pastries!