Session 205 — Choux Pastry (Éclairs or Profiteroles)
← Block 47–48: Pastry — Doughs & Custards Overview
Skill: Choux dough technique (pâte à choux); piping consistent shapes; filling and glazing Read first: Choux au Craquelin (for plain éclairs or profiteroles, skip the craquelin sugar disc — the choux base technique is identical)
What you're learning: Choux is a cooked starch paste — one of the four French grande pâtes. The eggs are beaten in gradually; correct dough consistency is "ribbon-y" when dropped from a spoon (falls in a thick, slow V). Underbaked choux will collapse. Properly baked choux has a hollow interior ready for filling. This technique underlies éclairs, profiteroles, gougères, Paris-Brest, and churros.
Full Meal: Choux Pastry Éclairs or Profiteroles — pan-seared fish and steamed vegetables for dinner, then chocolate-glazed éclairs or profiteroles with ice cream for dessert
🎥 Compare Notes: Chocolate Éclairs / Pâte à Choux (Claire Saffitz) — Watch her dough consistency test — the ribbon drop off the spoon — that's the single diagnostic that tells you whether the choux will rise properly or collapse.