Choux pastry. Also known as pate a choux. But maybe most importantly, known as delicious, easy, and versatile! Once you master choux you can make so many things, both sweet and savory!

PROFITEROLES: Small choux balls. Typically filled with ice cream and frozen and drizzled with chocolate sauce.

CHOUQUETTES: small choux balls sprinkled with pearl sugar before baking.

CREAM PUFFS: Medium choux balls usually filled with chantilly or pastry cream and topped with a glaze or ganache.

ECLAIRS: Oblong choux pastries, filled with chantilly or pastry cream and toped with a glaze or ganache.

PARIS BREST: A ring of choux pastry. Can be made as a large family style or small individual rings. Was originally made in France in 1910 to resemble a bicycle tire to celebrate a race.

CROQUEMBOUCHE: Small choux pastry balls (sometimes filled), formed into a cone shape, and bound with spun sugar.

CRAQUELINE: A simple to make cookie dough, placed on top of choux before baking. Creates a pretty, crunchy, crackly top. Can be colored as well. Typically this would not be glazed.

GOUGERE: Savory choux pastry balls made with grated cheese mixed into the dough before baking.

There are even more options than these! You can add cocoa powder to make chocolate choux, Churros are fried choux dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar. When scooped into the oil they are beignets.
But we’ll leave those for another day.

When making choux you can pipe (I recommend a french star tip) or scoop using cookie dough scoops or even shape with a spoon.

Some tips when making ANY of these choux:
– Bake until a deep golden brown. If your choux is pale, it will be too soft and collapse. Resist opening the oven too fast as this can make them fall as well.
-You may not need to add all the eggs. By beating them you before adding you can more closely monitor this. If your dough is too wet and loose (they should hold their shape when piped or scooped) you can make another batch of half batch to add (without as much eggs). You can’t add raw flour to tighten the dough. Just won’t work.
– One last word of advice. These really are best served the same day they are made. Not that you should expect any leftovers!
-Dipping the tops of choux into the glaze is a little neater for presentation but if you do that you’ll want to fill them by poking a piping tip into the bottom to fill.
-You may find it easier to fill by cutting them in half and piping or scooping the filling in, then just spooning a little glaze on their tops.

My favorite filling for choux is chantilly cream (just a fancy way to say whipped cream) you can find my recipe here or if you prefer pastry cream you can find that recipe here.

MASTER CHOUX PASTRY

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt (I like using fine sea salt)
1 cup water
1 cup flour
4 eggs, beaten

Bring the butter, salt, and water to boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Stir frequently and keep a close eye. You want the butter to melt and you also don’t want the water to boil long as you don’t want to let the water evaporate.

With pan still on the heat stir in the flour and beat with a wooden spoon to completely incorporate the flour.

Keep stirring vigorously until the dough sticks to itself and pulls away from the sides of the pan (kind of like when bread dough clings to itself when beaten with a dough hook).

Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool for a few minutes. You can break the dough up to help it cool faster as well.

Add the eggs, a couple tablespoons at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Dough should take almost if not all the eggs and be glossy and very smooth when ready and will hold it’s shape when piped or scooped.

Pipe or scoop onto silicone or parchment lined baking trays. Wet your finger to smooth down any tips before baking.

Bake at 400 degrees.

Smaller shapes, like profiteroles or chouquettes will take approximately 20 minutes. Larger shapes like cream puffs or eclairs will take 30-40 minutes. Don’t open the oven until the end of the cooking time to keep their shape.
When golden and crisp, remove from oven and pierce with a paring knife to allow the steam to escape. (I usually do this in the side where it won’t be visible.)

Vanilla Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons boiling water
1 Tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (or extract of choice)

Whisk together until smooth. Add additional water if needed for desired consistency. Spoon over top of choux or dip tops.

Chocolate Glaze:
4 ounces chocolate (or approximately 1/2 cup chocolate chips)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon corn syrup, optional

Heat cream to barely a simmer in a small pot. Pour over chocolate and corn syrup in a small bowl and whisk until melted and smooth. Spoon over top of choux or dip tops.

CRAQUELIN:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
food coloring, optional

Cream together the butter, salt, and brown sugar. Add the flour and any food coloring, if using.
Place in a ziptop bag and roll out inside the bag to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Seal bag and place in freezer until needed.

Cut open bag and cut shapes to fit the top of choux. (I typically just use this for profiteroles or cream puffs)

Place on top of choux and bake until golden brown.