Choux Pastry into Chocolate Éclairs or Cream Puffs

Recipe Title:  Choux Pastry into Chocolate Éclairs or CreamPuffs (click her to go to my YouTube video of this recipe)

By: Miriam Borys

This is a classic choux pastry recipe found in most baking cookbooks and one I have used at school for years.

¼ cup butter
½ cup water
½ cup flour
1 tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 large eggs (or 3 small eggs)

In a heavy pot on medium heat on the stove melt butter and add water. Bring to a boil. Measure flour, sugar and salt in a separate bowl. Hold until water is boiled. Once water and butter come to a boil add flour mixture all at once and stir quickly with a wooden spoon. Stir over low heat until dough forms into a ball of soft dough. Keep stirring for 1 minute until the dough dries up.

Pour hot dough into a mixer and beat with a paddle until it cools down the dough. This takes about 2 minutes.

Add eggs and beat with paddle again until dough comes together into a shiny, smooth dough. (the dough will break apart first before it comes together into a perfect choux paste).

Spoon or pipe onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325° and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to sit at room temperature until cold.

To serve, slit open the éclairs or cream puffs with a sharp knife. Use whipped whip cream to fill the center. Dip the ends in melted chocolate or drizzle chocolate over the dessert. Dust with powdered icing sugar to serve.

Cream puff can be made the day before and stored at room temperature in a dry place.

Options: make a savory filling with shrimp or crab and fill with a seafood filling instead.

Whip Cream Filling
½ cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. butter cream paste

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 Butter cream paste: 1 cup shifted icing sugar, 1 tbsp. vanilla, ¼ cup soft butter – stir all by hand until a smooth thick paste. Keep refrigerated until needed for whip cream.