How to Make French Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)

Choux pastry baked into poppy seed puffs and filled with smoked salmon spread

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How to Make French Choux Pastry (Pâte à Choux)

This choux pastry comes together in about 15 minutes and bakes into light, hollow puffs ready for sweet or savory fillings. With clear steps and reliable tips, it’s a versatile French dough you’ll use for everything from cream puffs to elegant bite-size appetizers.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: appetizers, desserts, tips

Cuisine: French

Keyword: How to Make French Choux Pastry, Pate a Choux

Servings: 1 1/2-inch puffs

Calories: 34kcal

Author: Lee Clayton Roper

Ingredients

3/4 cup water
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 cup unsalted butter 8 tablespoons, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour preferably unbleached
4 to 5 large eggs at room temperature

Instructions

Prepare dough

In a medium saucepan, bring the water, half and half, butter, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until butter melts.
Add flour all at once and, using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until well combined and the dough gathers into a ball and moves away from the side of the pan (takes just a few minutes). Keep cooking, stirring, for another minute. The dough temperature should be 165-175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Transfer the dough to a the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at medium speed (using the paddle attachment) for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, allowing the steam to escape from the dough.
When no more steam is coming out, keep the machine on medium speed and add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture becomes a smooth, shiny dough. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. The dough may separate a bit, but that’s okay - it will come back together again by the time the last egg is incorporated.
To test the batter, dip the paddle into the choux and lift it up - it should form a V, breaking off from the batter in the bowl, hanging off the paddle, and holding the V shape. (See troubleshooting tips below for what to do if it’s too stiff or too loose.)
Your dough is ready; use it right away or cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

Pipe and Bake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (375 degrees F convection). Line two half-sheet pans (or other large cookie sheets) with parchment paper.
Transfer prepared dough to a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe into mounds of desired size, onto the prepared baking sheets; they should be at least 1 inch apart (see detailed piping instructions below).
Using moistened fingertips, gently flatten the tops.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the puffs are risen, golden brown, firm, and sound hollow when tapped on top. Don’t open the oven door before they have baked for at least 20 minutes, or they may collapse!
Remove from oven and set aside to cool on the pans.

Notes

Note on the liquid used: A traditional choux pastry recipe will call for only water. I swap out 1/4 of the water for half-and-half, which helps the puffs brown better.

How to pipe dough: Fit a plain tip into a piping bag (or cut the corner off a gallon-size baggie). Fold the top half of the bag over the outside (like a cuff). Spoon filling into bag, no more than half full. Pull up the cuff and twist or fold the bag closed (above the filling); keep twisting/folding until the filling is visible at the tip. Point tip around 1/2 inch above where you want to pipe, guiding it with your non-dominant hand. Use your other hand to push filling from the top of the bag (where it’s twisted) out of the tip, to the desired size. Stop and move tip in a circle to disengage it from the dough. Pull straight up.

Troubleshooting Dough Consistency:
* If the dough is too stiff (breaks off the paddle too quickly), add more egg. Start with one-half egg (place one egg in a small bowl, beat to mix the yolk and white, then add half).
* If the dough is too moist (runs off the paddle and won’t hold its shape), place it in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, for 30-60 seconds, to remove more moisture. Don’t cook too long or at higher heat - you risk cooking the eggs.

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