What is pâte à choux? It is a pastry dough used for making those light and crisp shells that are filled with custard to create cream puffs, profiteroles and chocolate eclairs, among others. Pâte à choux is made with flour, butter, water and eggs. In my case, a little sugar and salt too. The dough is cooked on the stove top, mixed with egg, piped (or dropped by spoonfuls) on a baking sheet then baked until risen, puffed, golden and hollow. Why do they turn hollow? Some chemistry thing — the high moisture content in the pastry results in a steam build-up during baking that pushes the dough up.
It’s easy enough to buy cream puffs and chocolate eclairs. Heaven knows almost every bakeshop sells them and there are even specialty shops that sell nothing but pastries made with pâte à choux. But if you like to putter in the kitchen and learn how to make them at home, it’s not mission impossible. The important thing to remember is to bake the shells at a low oven temperature so that they turn dry without getting too dark. Once you get comfortable with the procedure, you can wow your family and friends with home baked cream puffs or eclairs for Christmas.
Here’s how to make the shells.
Ingredients
- 60 g. of butter (1/4 c.), softened
2/3 c. of all-purpose flour
1 tsp. of sugar
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 large eggs
Instructions
Pour half a cup of water into a pan. Add the butter, sugar and salt.
Boil together the butter, sugar and salt with water until the butter is melted.
Remove the pan from the stove, add the flour all at once and mix with a wooden spoon.
Return the pan to the stove, continue mixing the dough over medium heat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and beat for about a minute to cool the mixture. You can do this by hand but, trust me, it’s hard work so if you have an electric mixer, use it by all means.
Now add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
After all the eggs have been added and incorporated, you should have a soft and sticky dough.
Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. Pipe the dough into desired shape and size. Or drop by spoonfuls like I did. Keep the dough at least two inches apart as they will expand tremendously during baking.
Bake in a preheated 400F oven for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 350F and continue baking for another 25 to 30 minutes.
The baked pastry shells should be dry to the touch and should sound hollow when tapped with a finger.
Cooking time (duration): about 1 hour and 15 minutes
Number of servings (yield): 15 large shells
Meal type: dessert
I finally found the issue. Sorry people, I used only half of the recipe and forgot to halve the amount of butter and eggs. I’ve edited the recipe.
Updated on September 8, 2011
ohhh what a good timing ms. connie im about to search recipe of cream puffs and eclairs hehehe ur such an angel! thank you thank you!!!
I’ll post the cream puffs recipe within the day, to complete everything.
I can’t wait to try your version. Mine always comes out soft
.
The trick really seems to be low heat, long baking time. When the shells sound hollow, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Looking forward to trying this recipe, Ms. Connie. I wonder if I can do the shells days ahead and for how long can it keep a)without filling b) with filling. Also, how to store it if it’s not eaten the day of baking? Thank you for your time.
You have to use the shells within the day. You can keep the assembled cream puffs in the fridge but moisture will affect both the shells and filling. Short shelf life.
Thanks for the info! Have a good day.
I love to eat cream puffs with the custard filling in them. I feel lucky to have smelled your delicious cooking up there on the hill. For a beginner, I’m glad that it seems easy to follow. Not really a “mission impossible”,,, you’re right. I must try this.
) Pics serve as guides for us to check if we’re doing it right. Thanks! Will keep on checking your new recipes! More power!
I can’t stop checking on your other bakes here. I really want to learn to bake without using baking mixes… I love your site because you fill it not just with the delectable recipes but pics and pics and pics. Makes my mouth water!
Hello Miss.Connie
I’ve waited for this long to have the cream puff recipe and i am so happy that at last you posted it.,,I tried making the pastry today but the problem is too thin and I can’t do anything with it.I cant form the dough.
I dont know what is the problem on it.
Thanks.
Hi Miss Connie,
I’ve been waiting this recipe for long and I thank you for posted this.
Maam Connie i tried making the dough today and its too thin and I cant make the dough.I followed the Ingredients.YUng 2/3 na flour tama ba yun.
Thank you.
Yep, the measurement is correct. Did you cook the dough sufficiently before adding the eggs?
I was eager to try the recipe, but I have to agree with Elona. The 2/3 cups of flour we not sufficient to make the consistency of the dough resemble with pictures. It was much too runny. Your reply suggested she may not have cooked the batter long enough, however since the instructions don’t specify a heat level and only mention that the dough should be cooked till it pulls away from the pot I should mention that it began to pull away almost immediately. Also, 15 large pastries baked for 10 mins at 400 and then for 25-30 mins at 350 come out burnt. I know this because I baked them for only 17 minutes at 350 and they came out burnt on the bottom and on some sides. The puff pastry dropped very quickly and looks and tastes more like a biscuit. They also smell very strongly of egg.
That means you need more practice.
Oh so it does not mean there’s something wrong with the recipe? Its just about practice? Hmmm..
Diala, if there was something wrong with the recipe, then my cream puff shells wouldn’t have come out they way they have in the photos.
It may more MORE than about practice. It may be about inability to follow instructions correctly. It may also be about a badly calibrated oven.
As a chef i have to say Connie- Im sorry but your measurements definately dont add up! out of curiosity i followed you recipie and instructions to a tea and all i got was a runny buttery mess. Once you double the flour they worked beautifully and also on a lower heat as the tops burned at your temperature. Cheers
I finally found the issue.
Sorry people, I used only half of the recipe and forgot to halve the amount of butter and eggs. I’ve edited the recipe.
hi ms. connie! i have tried your recipe and it was yummy, just want to share with what i have read, cream puff can actually stay crispy for up to 3 months, once you remove the cream puff from the oven slit the puffs to release the steam from the inside then transfer to wire racks, if you intend to keep the puff, once cooled completeley you need to individually wrap each puff and keep in a ziplock bag making sure its not crowded, you can keep in the refrigerator and when you need it just thow and the crispness will be back, put only the filling if you intend to eat it. hope this will help!