Cooking with Choux Pastry: les Chouquettes

Clementine and Tonka Madeleines Recipe

Ingredients (make approximately 36 mini choux)

250ml cold water

75g diced unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)

1/2 teaspoon salt

150g sifted plain flour

1 tablespoon fine caster sugar

4 eggs

1 egg yolk (for brushing)

pearl sugar*

1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC (190ºC fan).

Pour the cold water in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the salt and diced butter. Slowly bring to the boil.

2. When the butter has completely melted, take the saucepan off the heat and pour in all the flour in one go. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients vigourously.

Put the saucepan back over a low heat and continue mixing until the dough is dry enough to detach itself from the sides of the pan. Let it cool down for one minute.

3. Add in the tablespoon of sugar then the eggs one by one. Mix the dough thoroughly after each egg before adding the next one. The dough should be firm and supple at the same time.

4. Line two baking trays with baking paper and grease with a bit of butter (I also add a few dots of dough underneath so the paper sticks to the tray). Put the dough into a pastry bag and pipe 18 mini choux buns on each of the trays, leaving about 2cm between each choux as they will puff up.

Beat the egg yolk and brush it over the tops. Sprinkle with pearl sugar.

5. Place the trays on the top and middle shelf. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. After 10 minutes, lower the heat to 180ºC (160ºC fan) and leave the oven door ajar (I do so by sticking a wooden spoon at the top to keep it open). The chouquettes should be puffed and golden. Place them on a wire rack and cool down before serving.

Bon appétit!

*I brought my bag of pearl sugar back from France. I have not found any around shops here (maybe I did not look properly) but I believe it can be found on Amazon and in Ikea. If you have any tips on where to find pearl sugar in Ireland or the UK, leave a comment below, thank you!