Choux pastry can be quite difficult to make, but it doesn’t have to be. We share our food ed’s top tips on how to make the perfect choux pastry. And it’s easier than you thought.
Recipe: Custard filling for choux pastry
Boil 250ml (1 cup) milk and 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract and remove from the heat. Beat 3 large egg yolks with 80g castor sugar until very pale and fluffy. Add 80ml (_ cup) cornflour. Gradually whisk in the boiling milk mixture. Pour the mixture into a pot and gently boil for about 2 minutes, whisking vigorously. Pour the custard into a mixing bowl and cool before serving or piping into the pastry.
Recipe: Chicken mayonnaise with choux pastry
Spoon 250ml (1 cup) good-quality mayonnaise into a bowl and stir in 1 chopped smoked chicken breast, 2 finely chopped gherkins and season to taste. Mix to combine well, spoon into your pastry and serve.
How to make the perfect choux pastry
Ingredients
- 60g butter, cubed
- 160ml water
- 160ml milk
- 10ml (2 tsp) castor sugar – only to be added if making sweet choux
- 120g (1 cup) cake flour, sifted
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
Place the butter, water, milk and sugar (if using) in a small pot and heat gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the stove.
Stir the flour into the butter mixture and beat until smooth.
Return to the heat and stir until the mixture no longer sticks to the sides of the pot and forms a smooth ball. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Whisk the eggs well. Add the eggs to the dough, beating into the mixture until well combined, smooth and glossy. Use as required.
Use a piping bag to pipe different shapes.
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Bake the pastry for about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180°C and continue to bake until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn the oven off and return the pastry for a few minutes to dry them out.
Either make a small slit in the back of the pastry and fill with custard or slice the top and spoon in your preferred filling.
Notes
Do not overcook or beat the mixture vigorously as this will make it greasy.
