Choux Pastry

By ctozzi

Ingredients

• 1 cups (250 ml) water
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, cubed
• 1/8 tsp. (.5 ml) salt
• 1 1/4 cups (625 ml) all-purpose flour ***(if you don't want the extra egg, use only 1 cup flour)
• 4 eggs ***(i needed an extra egg, dough was too stiff)

Preparation

Step 1

Line a 17- x 11-inch (45×29 cm) baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease and dust with flour.

In heavy saucepan, bring the water, butter and salt to boil over high heat; immediately remove from heat.

Add the flour all at once; stir vigorously with wooden spoon until mixture comes away from side of pan in smooth ball.

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes or until film forms on bottom of pan.

Transfer to bowl; stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Make well in centre.

Using electric mixer, beat in 4 of the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until shiny and pastry holds its shape when lifted.

Using pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch (5 mm) plain tip or with spoon, pipe pastry into 1 1/4-inch (3 cm) round by 3/4-inch (2 cm) high mounds on pans. Glaze: Beat an egg with 1 tbsp (15 ml) water; brush half over pastry, flattening tips and making sure glaze doesn’t drip onto pan.

Bake in 425 degree F (220 degree C) oven for 20 minutes; rotate trays.

Reduce heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C); bake for 10 minutes or until golden.

With knife, make small hole in bottom of each; bake for 5 minutes.

Turn off oven; let stand in oven for 10 minutes to dry. Transfer to rack; let cool.