The Art of Pâte à Choux

Ingredients

• Water 150g
• Unsalted butter, cubed 113g (1 stick)
• Granulated Sugar 2 Tbsp
• Salt 5g
• All-purpose flour, sifted 150g
• Eggs, whisked Approximately 325g

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat.
2. Add the flour all at once and mix vigorously with a wooden spatula until no lumps remain, the mixture is slightly shiny, and it begins to form a cohesive dough.
3. Return the pan to medium heat. Continue stirring for about 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.
4. Remove from heat once the dough is smooth, glossy, and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
5. Transfer the dough to a large bowl, ideally placed on a damp towel to stabilize it.
6. Gradually add the eggs in small batches, mixing well with a wooden spatula after each addition until the dough is shiny, thick, smooth, and has a pipeable consistency similar to pastry cream.

Ingredients

• Pâte à choux One fresh batch
• Shredded cheese, Gruyère or Emmental 180g, plus 50g for topping
• Salt ½ tsp
• Ground black pepper To taste
• Ground thyme or freshly grated nutmeg A pinch
• Garlic powder ¼ tsp, optional
• Sea salt For topping, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Fold 180g of shredded cheese, black pepper, salt, thyme or nutmeg, and optional garlic powder into the prepared pâte à choux.
3. Pipe the dough onto a lined baking sheet into 1.5-inch rounds.
4. Top each portion with a small amount of the remaining 50g of cheese and a sprinkle of sea salt, if desired.
5. Bake on the center rack for approximately 25 minutes. Keep the oven door closed throughout the baking process to ensure they rise properly.
6. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before serving.