Before this summer, when I heard the words “make” and “cream puffs” in the same sentence, I would freak out, thinking that it was a super hard recipe. But after going to a baking camp, I found that the recipe isn’t just easy, but quick and simple as well. The shell part, at least.

Pate aux Choux (cream puff shells)

Ingredients:

1 cup water

9 1/2 tbsp. butter

3/8 tsp. salt

3/8 tsp. sugar

1 1/4 cups bread flour

5-6 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Put water, butter, salt, and sugar into a small saucepan over high heat and cook until the butter has melted and the water is boiling. Stir occasionally with wooden spoon while butter is melting

Add flour and stir the mixture until it forms a solid, doughy mass with a thin film on the bottom of the pan.

Transfer mass to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed for 1 min. to cool down.

Add eggs, one at a time, until the batter passes either the trench, hook, or ribbon tests*. The mixture should be firm, but smooth.

Using a #4 tip, pipe pate aux choux into 1 inch circles on parchment paper on top of a sheet pan, leaving 1 inch of space in between the pastries.

Bake for 25-30 min, or until fully cooked on the inside. Cut one in half to check doneness.

Cut baked pate aux choux in half, and fill with whipped cream, pastry cream, ice cream, or pudding.

*Trench: When you pull your paddle through the dough, does it for a trench that slowly fills back up?

 Hook: when you lift your paddle through the dough and hold it upside down, does it form a hook?

 Ribbon: When you lift your paddle through the dough and wiggle it, do unbreaking ribbons form?