Pate A Choux Centerpiece Recipes

PATE A CHOUX

Steps:

• Bring butter, sugar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture pulls away from sides and a film forms on bottom of pan, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until slightly cooled, about 1 minute. Raise speed to medium; add whole eggs, 1 at a time, until a soft peak forms when batter is touched with your finger. If peak does not form, lightly beat remaining egg white, and mix it into batter a little at a time until it does.

PATE A CHOUX

Steps:

• Combine water, butter, sugar, and saltin a medium saucepan over medium-highheat. Bring mixture to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Stir in the flour.When flour is combined, return to heat. Thismixture is called a panade. Dry the panadebystirring constantly for 4minutes. It isready when it pulls away from the sidesand a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
• Transfer panade to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,and mix on low speed, about 2minutes,until slightly cooled. Add the eggs one at atime on medium speed, letting each oneincorporate completely before adding thenext. Add the last egg a little at a time until the batter is smooth and shiny. Test thebatter by touching it with your finger andlifting to form a string. If a string does notform, the batter needs more egg. If youhave added all the egg and the batter stilldoesn't form a string, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it does.
• The batter may be used immediately orstored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2days. To use chilled,remove from the refrigerator, and stir tosoften before filling piping bag.

SWEET OR SAVORY PATE A CHOUX

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425°F and adjust oven rack to the middle. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Place the water, butter, and salt in a 3-quart saucier, set over high heat, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, add all of the flour at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to come together, about 1 minute. Decrease the heat to low and continue stirring until the mixture forms a ball and is no longer sticky, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 5 minutes to cool, or until there is no more steam rising. With the mixer still on low speed, add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, making sure each is completely incorporated before adding another. You will need to stop the mixer occasionally and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle attachment. Before adding the last egg white, check the mixture for consistency: It should tear slightly as it falls from the beater, creating a"V" shape. The mixture may only need 1 egg white.
• Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a plastic coupler and a round tip. Pipe a little of the mixture into the four corners under the parchment paper to hold it in place on the sheet pans.
• Pipe the mixture into 2 1/2-inch-long strips on the parchment, 4 rows of 6. Use a clean dampened finger to smooth any tips left from piping.
• Place the sheet pan of eclairs in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 more minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately pierce the bottom of each eclair with a paring knife to release steam. Repeat with the remaining eclairs. Let cool completely before filling.

PATE A CHOUX DOUGH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In 2 quart pot, combine the butter and water. On a piece of wax or parchment paper, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Bring the water and butter to a rolling boil, remove from heat and dump the flour mixture in all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon or paddle to incorporate.
• Return the saucepot to high heat and cook, stirring, for about one minute. The mixture will form a ball and coat the pan with a thin film.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl or standing mixer equipped with the paddle attachment. Mix the dough for a minute or so, on low speed, to release some of the heat. Add the eggs, one at a time, completely incorporating each one before adding the next. Beat until the dough gets thick and ribbony.
• Fit a pastry bag with a round #5 tip and fill with the warm dough. Line a heavy cookie sheet with parchment paper and anchor it to the tray with a little dab of the dough at each corner. Pipe about forty to forty five 1 1/2-inch mounds about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and puffed. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and there are no droplets of moisture in the crevices. Turn off oven and leave the choux to dry for another 10 minutes. Use when cool, or freeze, wrapped in a plastic bag, for 2-3 months.

PATE A CHOUX

Steps:

• Melt butter in water - bring to a boil. Add salt (tip: don't add salt till water boils to avoid pitting your stainless pans). Add flour all at once and stir like crazy. Don't panic. The mixture will get quite lumpy and sticky. Reduce heat to low and stir for one minute. Do not skip this step. This allows the flour to absorb absolutely every drop of water possible and the rest to evaporate. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Let cool approximately 5 minutes or until you can touch the dough without letting out a holler! Add one egg at a time and stir until dough absorbs it completely. Do not add them all at once. When you are through, your dough should be smooth and will form a "V" shape as the excess drops away when you pull the spoon up out of it.
• You can either pipe it into 3 inch eclair shapes using a pastry bag or use a small scoop to form 1 1/2 inch balls for a cream puff look. Either way, use a greased sheet pan or use a silpat and keep them at least 2 inches apart. They will get much larger and they need space! Each one holds a great deal of moisture that causes steam which will ruin the guy next to him and they'll be mushy instead of nice and crisp.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Do not peek, you'll ruin them! They need privacy!
• The eggs cause the dough to form a really nice hollow middle that just screams to be filled with something gooey! We use sugar free instant pudding. Just add 1 1/2 cups of milk instead of 2. That way your filling won't be too runny. Banana and cheesecake seem to be the favorites around here as well as chocolate. Most people use vanilla for eclairs but that's so "expected!"
• For a nice topper, you can melt Nutella with a small amount of milk to make a hazelnut ganache to drizzle over the tops. Or, if you're in a pinch for time, you can just melt a can of frosting in the micro! These are also really great cut in half, filled with ice cream and served with chocolate topping and whipped cream. Woah mamma!
• I also like to slice them in half and fill them with chicken or tuna salad. They make incredibly delicious and beautiful sandwiches to serve with your favorite soups or salads! Everyone is always so impressed when I say I made them myself. Enjoy!

PâTE à CHOUX PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring gently to encourage the butter to melt. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, add the flour all at once and stir rapidly with a spatula until the mixture forms a thick paste and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
• Remove from the heat. Wait for 2 minutes, stirring the paste a couple of times to cool it slightly, then vigorously beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is completely incorporated before adding the next. (I do this by hand, but some folks prefer to use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.)
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch (1-cm) tip, pipe the choux paste into mounds 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) high on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Or, use 2 teaspoons to drop the paste into mounds.
• If you want puffs with a shiny glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and milk and brush the tops of the puffs without letting the glaze drip down the sides, which will inhibit rising.
• Bake until the puffs are golden brown on the tops and sides, 25 to 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let them rest in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and poke each puff in the side with a paring knife so that it releases its steam. Let cool completely.
• Pâte à choux puffs can be stored at room temperature for several hours. I prefer not to freeze them because there is a noticeable difference in quality between fresh and frozen puffs, but if you have leftovers, you can freeze them for up to 1 month and recrisp them in a low oven before serving.