Choux pastry for Cream Puffs and Eclairs

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Source: Woman's Day magazine

Categories: pastry

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup bread or all purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 4 eggs
  • Almond Custard Cream Filling:
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. slat
  • 3 cups milk
  • Chocolate Glaze
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate pieces
  • 2 Tbsp. water
  • 1 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. In medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, bring water and butter to rolling boil. Add flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously until mixture forms ball, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove for heat. Let rest 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to cool. By hand or with mixer at medium speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Continue beating, if necessary, until glossy and small quantity of dough stands erect when scooped on end of spoon.
  2. Drop dough in 2 tbsp. portions about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in lower half of preheated 435 degrees until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. Continue baking until golden brown and firm, about 12 to 15 minutes. Pierce side of each puff with tip of sharp knife. Serve hot or cool on wire racks.

  3. makes about 2 to 3 dozen

  4. To serve puffs: For classically filled puffs, slice off 1/4 to 1/2 inch from tops. Pull out any filaments o soft dough. just before serving, spoon scant 1/3 cup Almond Custard Cream Filling (or other filling, as desired) into each hollow. Replace tops.

  5. For unfilled puffs, serve hot, OR for main dish or dessert, cool, cut off small portion of tops and pull out any filaments of soft dough. Just before serving, spoon in filling as desired and replace tops.

  6. OR, use uncut puffs, spoon filling into pastry bag fitted with plain round pastry tip or into plastic condiment bottle with applicator tip. Press tip into each puff. Slowly and gently squeeze bag or bottle until cream puff is full. For sweet puffs, dust with confectioner’s sugar, drizzle with ice cream sauce or spread with Chocolate Glaze, if desired.

  7. Savory puff variations:

  8. Carrot Herb: After beating in eggs, stir in 1/2 cup shredded carrot, 1 1/2 tsp. chopped chives and 1 tsp. marjoram leaves, crushed. Bake as above.

  9. Cheddar and Bacon:

  10. Omit alt from dough. After beating in eggs, stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup crumbled, crisp-cooked bacon and 2 tsp. instant minced onions. Bake as above.

  11. Parmesan: Omit salt from dough. After beating in eggs, stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and either 2 tsp. oregano leaves, crushed, Italian seasoning, crushed or pizza seasoning. Bake as above.

  12. Éclairs: Shape scant 1/4 cupful of dough into fingers on ungreased baking sheet. Bake and pierce. Cool on wire racks. Cut off tops. Pull out any filaments of soft dough. Just before serving, fill each éclair with 1/3 cup of the Almond Custard Cream Filling.

  13. Almond Custard Cream Filling

  14. In large saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt. In bowl or liquid measure, stir milk into egg yolks. Gradually stir small amount of milk mixture into dry ingredients, making a smooth paste.
  15. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove form heat. Stir in flavorings. Cool quickly by setting pan in bowl of ice or cold water and stirring until steam no longer rises, a few minutes.
  16. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill thoroughly. Spoon or squeeze scant 1/3 cup into each cream puff or éclair. makes 3 1/2 cups. enough to fill 1 dozen large cream puffs or éclairs.

  17. Chocolate Glaze:

  18. In small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, melt chocolate with water and butter. Beat in sugar until mixture is of spreading consistency. Spread 2 tsp. on each cream puff or éclair. If glaze hardens, add warm water, a few drops at a time, beating until again of spreading consistency.

  19. makes 1/2 cup, enough to glaze 1 dozen cream puffs or éclairs.

  20. Soufflé Beignets

  21. To one recipe of Choux Pastry for Cream Puffs, add 1/8 tsp. salt. After all eggs are beaten in, stir in 1 tsp. vanilla. In deep-fat fryer or skillet, heat 5 inches cooking oil to 370 degrees.
  22. In small batches, drop dough bu teaspoonful into hot oil. For even cooking, occasionally turn frying dough with slotted spoon. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with tongs or slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve hot.

  23. makes about 12 to 13 dozen.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back