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Basic Pâte à Choux Recipe

Basic Pâte à Choux Recipe

Light, airy choux pastry made from a simple dough of milk or water, butter, flour, salt, and eggs that bakes into crisp, hollow shells perfect for cream puffs, eclairs, or gougères. The dough is ready to pipe immediately and can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours, making it convenient for baking sessions or prepping ahead.
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Keyword: choux pastry, cream puffs, eclairs, gougères, Pâte à Choux

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • wooden spoon or stiff silicone spatula
  • mixing bowl
  • electric mixer (or whisk to beat by hand)
  • piping bag or plastic wrap
  • instant-read thermometer (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk or water (240 ml) or combination
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85 g) cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (0.5 teaspoon)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 g) sifted
  • 4 eggs

Instructions

  1. Combine the (240ml)milk or water, (85g)unsalted butter, and (0.5teaspoon)kosher salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the (120g)all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or stiff silicone spatula until the flour is fully incorporated and no lumps remain, pressing and smashing the dough against the sides of the pan.
  3. Return the pan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the dough forms a single mass and a dry film appears on the bottom and sides of the pan; an instant-read thermometer should register 175 F if using one.
  4. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes to cool it; the dough should register 145 F on an instant-read thermometer.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until each egg is fully incorporated. After adding all eggs, scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix an additional 5 to 10 seconds to ensure a smooth, homogeneous dough.
  6. Use the choux dough immediately for piping or store at room temperature for up to 2 hours in a piping bag or with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface.

Notes

Make the Dough By Hand:You do not need a mixer to make this dough; I often make it by hand. Cool it down by stirring it frequently with a spoon or spatula, then beat in each egg one at a time by hand.