Pastries: Choux Pastry 06 by Recipe Cottage

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	Choux Pastry 06

		Creme Puffs (pate a choux) Bring to a boil over high heat: 2 cups water 8 ounces butter 1/2 teaspoon salt Reduce heat to medium and add all at once: 10 ounces sifted cake flour Cake flour is important because it guards against too much gluten development. This keeps the puffs light and allows them to puff as much as possinle. Stir vigorously to prevent lumps. Continue cooking and stirring so that the batter comes together and begins to dry out. (This allows the batter to more readily accept the eggs later.) You will know that it is ready when a skin begins to form on the bottom of the pan and the dough looks as if it is exuding butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low to cool the batter down slightly (so you don't scramble the eggs). A few at a time, add 2 cups of eggs Mix thoroughly between additions. (This just makes your job easier than dumping in the eggs all at once.) Once you are done adding eggs and the batter has come together, test it to see if it loose enough. The batter will drop heavily from a wooden spoon, or if you drag your finger through it, the batter will hold a track and slowly fall in on itself. If the batter is too thick, add another egg or two. A dense batter will not rise properly. Form the puffs on a parchment (or waxed paper) lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Rotate the pans, lower the temperature to 250 degrees, and bake for another 15 minutes. This will give you a good rise from the high heat but prevent over browning. Take one puff out and lightly crack it to see if the inside is dried out sufficiently. If it is too moist, continue baking at increments of about 5 minutes and continue testing. When the puffs are still slightly moist, but not completely dried out, cool the puffs on the pan on a rack until completely cool. They are then ready to use.