By Carol McIlwain

Gather around … cooking school is in session, and it’s going to be fun!  Pate a Choux is a versatile and yummy French pastry skill that everyone should master.  Ingredients are always handy, it’s quick and easy to make, and your results are really impressive.  It’s a win, win, win all around!  So here we go…

Pate a Choux

Pate5f

Ingredients:

1 cup water

¾ stick butter (6 tablespoons)

1 TB sugar plus 1/8 salt (for sweet)

1 tsp. salt (for savory)

1 cup flour

4 large eggs

Directions:

Heat oven to 400*.

Boil water, butter and salt or sugar.  Add flour and remove from heat.  Stir together and return to heat.  Keep stirring until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball.  Transfer to bowl of stand mixer (or use a portable mixer) and let cool for 3-4 minutes.  With mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated thoroughly before adding the next.  Once all eggs have been added and mixture is cool put dough into piping bag fitted with a round tip or use a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.   Pipe immediately, 2 inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans.  Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and pierce with a paring knife immediately to release steam.

Pate1f

OK—that’s the basic recipe.  The fun starts when you decide what you want to make:

Cream Puffs are round, filled with sweetened whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar.  For the puff, pipe the dough into 3” rounds on baking pan.  Wet your finger and pat down the tip that forms so it won’t burn while baking and place in oven.   Bake 30-35 minutes.  Allow them to cool, slice the tops off, remove the moist insides to make a shell and fill with sweetened whipped cream.   Dust the tops with powdered sugar.  Sidebar:  You can also fill these with vanilla cream custard (see below) and if you really want to rock tradition, fresh strawberries or raspberries would be delicious too!  Cognac in the whipped cream is never a bad idea, either.  Just sayin’…

Pate2f

Chocolate Éclairs are oblong shaped batons filled with vanilla cream custard and a creamy chocolate icing.    For the éclair, pipe the dough into a rod shape, about 1” wide and 4” long, 2 inches apart and bake.  Allow them to cool.   Slice off tops and fill with your own custard (or a box of vanilla Jell-O pudding made according to package instructions.  Don’t worry, we won’t tell – just add a little vanilla and a pat of butter).     Frost éclairs with chocolate icing.  Make your own:  melt 6 oz. semisweet chocolate with a TBS. of butter in a double boiler or the microwave.  Watch it closely!  Add about 1 TB hot water if icing seems too stiff.  Dip top of shell in chocolate or drizzle on top.  Replace top and enjoy!

 

Pate3f

Cheddar Dill Puffs are a quick and tasty addition to any party.  Make the basic pastry recipe and omit the sugar.  After incorporating the eggs, add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 1 TB dried minced onion and 1 tsp. dried dill.   Drop by teaspoons on parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake according to instructions and serve warm or cold.  You can also fill these with a bite of chicken salad.  Another variation is to drop dough by large tablespoons in a ring on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a dusting of sea salt and bake according to instructions.  Cut in wedges and serve warm or cold.

Pate4f

Congratulations!  You’ve just started your new career as a French Pastry Chef.  Class dismissed!

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