Choux pastry is a form of light pastry used to make profiteroles or eclairs. Its raising agent is the high water content, which boils during cooking, puffing out the pastry. Unlike puff pastry, it uses eggs.

Method

Ingredients

• 150ml cold water
• 50g butter
• 60g plain flour
• 2 well beaten eggs
• 1 teaspoon sugar (sweet choux)
• Salt and pepper (savoury choux)

Directions

Heat oven to 220C

On a piece of grease proof paper, sift the flour onto it.

In a medium-sized saucepan, add the water and butter, bring to a boil and remove from the heat once the butter has melted.

Then tip all the flour into the water and melted butter all in one go. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until you have a smooth ball of paste.

Then add the beaten eggs a bit at a time, and beat until a smooth glossy paste is formed.

Place a teaspoon of the choux pastry onto a baking sheet. Then bake in a pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the choux buns are a rich golden colour. Pierce the side of each one, to let out the steam, then cool them on a wire rack.