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Pâte à Choux (Cream Puffs)

Source of Recipe


David Lebovitz






List of Ingredients



• 1 cup water
  
• 3 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp sugar
  
• 1 cup flour
  
• 4 large eggs
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 425º F. In a saucepan, heat the water, butter, salt and sugar.
   
   
2. When the butter is melted and the mixture just begins to boil, add the flour all at once and stir continuously until it forms a ball and comes away from the sides.
   
   
3. Remove from the heat, and either by hand or preferably with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 4 eggs, one at a time, until the batter is stiff and shiny. (I break the eggs into a bowl first to ensure that no shells get into the pâte à choux.)
   
   
4. Pipe the pâte à choux onto parchment-lined baking sheets (or drop by spoonfuls) and place in the oven. Turn the oven down to 375º.
   
   
5. Bake the puffs for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top and up the sides. (If they are not fully cooked, they will collapse.) Remove them from the oven, turn the oven off, and poke each puff on the side with a knife to release the steam. Return the puffs to the oven for 5 minutes. Cool.
   
   Makes 20 to 30 small puffs.
   
   ------------------------------
   
   Sautèed Cherries
   
   Rinse, stem and pit one pound of fresh cherries. In a skillet, heat the cherries with 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue to cook until the cherries wilt and are heated through. Add more sugar, if desired. Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of apple-balsamic vinegar or kirsch.
   
   Spoon around cream puffs that have been filled with your favorite vanilla ice cream.