Best Stuffed Choux Pastry Recipe

what are the ingredients for Choux Pastry recipe?

CRAQUELIN:

• 50g Sugar

• 60g Unsalted butter

• 60g All purpose flour

CHOUX PASTRY:

• 130 ml Water

• 50g Unsalted butter

• 70g All purpose flour

• 2 Eggs

How to make choux pastry:

STEP1: Making craquelin:

1. Combine Ingredients: In a bowl, Cream the butter and sugar together with a spatula. Then add in the flour and mix until becoming dough.
2. Roll and Chill: Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll it out to a very thin, even thickness (about 1/16 to 1/8 inch). Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours, until firm.
3. Cut and Freeze: Use a round cutter, or a glass to cut out circles that are slightly larger than the size of your choux pastry. Place the craquelin cutouts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and freeze until solid.

STEP2: Making the Choux Dough (Pâte à Choux)

1. Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Boil Liquid: In a medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a rolling boil.
3. Add Flour: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Immediately add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth dough and pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 1-2 minutes).
4. Cool & Add Eggs: Return the pan to low heat and cook for another minute, stirring constantly to dry out the dough slightly. Transfer the dough to a bowl (use a stand mixer if available). Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes (this is important to prevent the eggs from cooking). Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated. The dough should be smooth, shiny, and thick enough to hold its shape but still pipeable. If using a mixer, beat until the dough forms a “V” shape on the beater when lifted.
5. Pipe the Shapes: Transfer the choux dough to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or just snip the corner of the bag). Pipe your desired shapes onto the prepared baking sheet. Leave some space between each pastry.
6. Apply to Choux: After piping and before baking, take the frozen craquelin discs and gently place one on top of each unbaked choux pastry. The craquelin will spread and crack while baking, creating a beautiful, crisp shell.
7. Bake: Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the choux pastry is puffed up, golden brown, and feels firm to the touch. Do NOT open the oven door during baking, or the pastries might deflate.
8. Cool: Once baked, turn off the oven, crack the oven door slightly, and let the choux pastry cool inside the oven for about 10-15 minutes to help it dry out a bit more. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP3: Filling & Serving

1. Prepare the Filling: Make your chosen filling according to your preferences. Make sure it’s cool before filling the choux pastry.
2. Pipe: Use a piping bag with a small round tip to poke a hole in the bottom of each pastry and pipe in the filling.
3. Cut and Fill: Slice the choux pastry in half horizontally. Spoon or pipe the filling onto the bottom half and replace the top.
4. Poke and Spoon: Poke a hole in the side of each pastry with a knife or skewer and spoon in the filling.
5. Garnish (Optional): Dust with powdered sugar for sweet fillings, or add a drizzle of chocolate, nuts, or other decorations.
6. Serve: Serve your stuffed choux pastry immediately, or chill them for later. If chilled, they’re best eaten within a day.

Tips for Success Choux Pastry recipe:

• Accurate Measurement: Use a kitchen scale for precise measurements of ingredients, especially flour and water.
• Cool Slightly: Let the panade cool slightly before adding eggs, preventing them from cooking prematurely.
• Egg Temperature: Room-temperature eggs incorporate better into the dough.
• Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the dough after adding the eggs can make the pastries tough.
• Don’t Underbake: Underbaked choux pastry can collapse. Make sure they’re golden brown and firm.
• Cool Completely: Let the choux pastry cool completely before filling.
• Storage: Filled choux pastry is best eaten soon after filling. Store leftovers (unfilled choux pastry) in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two, or freeze for longer storage (before filling).