Choux Pastry

Choux pastry (French pâte à choux) is a confectionery dough unique in technique which, unlike others, is partly cooked before baking. Flour is cooked into a hot mixture of water (or milk), butter, and salt, and then eggs are beaten into the resulting mass one at a time.

The secret of choux pastry lies in its high moisture content: during baking it evaporates vigorously, forming a large hollow inside the item, while the walls set light and firm. That is why choux items are hollow inside and ideal for filling with cream. From it are made the classics of European confectionery — éclairs, profiteroles, cream puffs, and the French croquembouche. Light, airy, and tender, choux pastry is one of the fundamental techniques that every pastry chef masters.