Makes 20 éclairs

Description

Back in the day as apprentice chefs, we used to call this “shux pastry” — we had to beat the eggs in by hand and it was really hard work, so we always said ‘Shucks!’ when we had to make the choux.

Here we’re beating the choux using an electric stand mixer, though you can do this by hand if you have lots of energy!

Empty choux shells can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week; just bake them at 200°C (400°F) for 5 minutes before using. However, once filled, choux should be consumed the same day.

Method

Put the milk, butter, sugar and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Place the saucepan back over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture forms a smooth ball and comes away from the side of the pan.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute.

Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. The mixture should be glossy.

Your choux pastry is now ready to pipe into your desired shapes and bake into wonderful crisp shells. Fill and decorate as desired.

The choux dough is best used straightaway.

note

You can also use a fruit filling for the baked choux shells. Generally, sliced fresh strawberries, raspberries, peaches and figs are attractive finishes, and sit well on some crème pâtissière, with a dusting of icing sugar.

Wonderful poached fruits such as quince, rhubarb and plums are delicious, but not the most attractive, so they sit well on some crème pâtissière as a base, with some lovely soft whipped cream piped over the top.