Choux pastry

Choux pastry, also known as pâte à choux, is a light pastry dough used in many pastries. It contains only butter, water, flour, and eggs. Instead of a raising agent, it employs high moisture content to create steam during cooking to puff the pastry.

Ingredients

• Butter: Butter is the fat component in the dough. It contributes to the flavor and the texture of the pastry.
• Water: Water is used to bind the ingredients together. It also turns into steam in the oven, which helps the pastry to puff up.
• Flour: Flour provides the structure for the pastry. It absorbs the water and forms a sticky dough.
• Eggs: Eggs are used for additional liquid, for leavening and to add flavor and color.

Preparation

The dough is made by heating the water and butter, adding the flour and stirring vigorously, then incorporating the eggs. The dough is then piped through a pastry bag or dropped with a pair of spoons into small balls and baked to form either profiteroles or éclairs.

Uses

Choux pastry is used in a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. These include:

• Profiteroles: Small puffs of choux pastry, often filled with cream and topped with chocolate sauce.
• Éclairs: Long, thin pastries made with choux dough filled with cream and topped with icing.
• Croquembouche: A tower of caramel-glazed profiteroles, often served at weddings in France.
• Gougères: A savory cheese puff made with choux dough.

See also

• List of pastries
• French cuisine

References

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