DREAM PUFFS, CREAM PUFFS, CHOUX PUFFS…

… no matter what you call them, this recipe needs to be part of your baking repertoire. It’s a delicious pastry for the tea table and can be served in so many different ways. In Europe they even have éclair boutiques that specialise in sweet and savoury éclairs.

Makes about 40 small choux puffs

• 125ml milk • 125ml water • 100g butter, cubed • 2,5ml salt • 5ml sugar • 150g cake flour • 4–5 eggs • extra milk

Equipment

• electric mixer • 2 baking trays, lined with baking paper or a silicone sheet • large 30cm piping bag • 1cm piping nozzle 1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. 2. Heat the milk, water, butter, salt and sugar over a high heat and bring to the boil, stirring every now and then. Reduce the heat, then add all the cake flour at once and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes away from the sides of the pot. It should form a ball with the help of a wooden spoon. 3. Place the mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer (or in a large bowl and mix with a wooden spoon). Mix in one egg at a time, making sure that it has been mixed in well before adding the next one. If the mixture isn’t soft after 4 eggs, add another. Stir the mixture until smooth. 4. Place some of the choux into a piping bag and pipe consistent circles onto baking trays. Practice makes perfect: the better your piping work, the prettier your choux puffs will be. 5. Wet the back of a teaspoon in the extra milk, and polish the pastry until smooth, wiping away any jagged points to create a golden glow. Bake for 20–25 minutes. Don’t open the oven while they are baking or the choux puffs will collapse. 6. As soon as the puffs are firmly baked and you remove them from the oven, use the point of a sharp knife to prick them at the bottom to allow the steam to escape. This prevents the puffs from collapsing and staying soft on the inside. Use as needed.