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Pate a choux is one of the most versatile doughs in a baker’s repertoire. This is the dough used for eclairs, Paris Brest, cream puffs and the savory lovelies called chouquettes (shoo-kett).

Mastering this dough will open up a world of easy yet impressive delights.

One of my favorite choux pastry treats to make my family are chouquettes. In our house we simply call them “little gems of love” because they are so simple and bring smiles to everyone who enjoys them.

Chouquettes

1 cup water

6 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup flour

4 eggs

Combine water, butter, salt and sugar in a medium-sized heavy sauce pan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat and dump all the flour into the water mixture. Begin stirring with a wooden spoon until combined, which takes about 30 seconds.

Return the pan to a medium heat and continue mixing until all the dough pulls from the sides and forms a ball.

Remove from heat. Add eggs one at a time, stirring between each addition, making sure the eggs are incorporated into the dough before adding the next egg. After the final egg is added, the dough should be quite shiny.

You have just made pate a choux.

Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad.

Using a tablespoon or a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip, form small balls of batter about the size of a quarter. Leave about an inch of space between each chouquette.
Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy. Turn off oven and crack open the door. Leave chouquettes in oven for an additional 5 minutes. This step prevents our little gems from deflating.

Allow to cool.

Enjoy!!

*Pearl sugar, turbinado sugar, or sugar cubes to crush for sprinkling. Pearl sugar can be found at specialty stores that sell cake making supplies. Turbinado sugar is sold under the brand Sugar in the Raw at most grocery stores.

Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she and her family moved to Redding nine years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and husband Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.