Choux pastry is made by cooking flour in a water-butter mixture to gelatinise the starch, then beating in eggs until the dough achieves the correct consistency. In the oven, the water in the eggs converts to steam and inflates the shell into a hollow, crisp exterior with a moist interior. The technique is unusual in that the dough is deliberately cooked twice — once on the stovetop and once in the oven.
- **The stovetop stage:** Bring water and butter to a full boil. Remove from heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously — a smooth ball forms and pulls away from the pan sides. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes to dry the paste slightly. - **Egg addition:** The paste must cool to below 60°C before eggs are added — above this temperature the eggs scramble. Beat in one at a time, fully incorporating each before the next. - **The V test:** Lift the spatula from the finished choux paste and let it fall. The paste should fall in a slow V-shape ribbon that folds back on itself. If it falls too quickly (too wet), the eggs were too large. If it hangs stiffly (too dry), add a beaten egg in small amounts. - **High initial heat:** Bake at 220°C for the first 10–15 minutes — the steam must form rapidly to inflate the structure. Reduce to 180°C to dry the shells through. Do not open the oven during the first 15 minutes. Decisive moment: The V test — the single physical assessment that tells everything about whether the choux will behave correctly.
Jacques Pépin's Complete Techniques