Pâte à Choux

[Omi]

I made the pâte à choux using the recipe in 'the Professional Chef' book (CIA). The recipe was 1 pint milk/water, 1 t sugar, 1 t salt, 8 oz butter, 12 oz. bread flour, 4-7 eggs (I used 6). When baked the cream puffs did not expand, the finished product was not light but a bit heavy and crispy, which will work out fine but what could I have done to make them turn out like they should? The baking instructions were 375 for a bit until they 'set' up then 350 to finish them off. I ended up cutting them in half, scooping out the moist dough then filling with pastry cream. I thought they were supposed to expand, maybe double in size and more delicate. Thanks, Omi

[chrose]

OMI, the recipe sounds about right. I might have used an extra egg or two, but I would say that your starting temp. is too low. When cooking the puffs you need to get a quick blast of heat to turn the water into steam to set up the expansion and then the remaining heat to set them and dry them.
Try turning the starting heat to 425ºF (pre-heated oven) for 10-15 minutes and then turn down to 375ºF until brown and crisp. Cool slowly in a warm place.

Hi OMI ! Foodibear here !
You need to make sure you do a few things to achieve some success
here ! You probably could have thrown the seventh egg into the batter and it would've improved the outcome! Another thing a lotta people forget or aren't aware of is that just because the outside looks all puffy and golden brown doesn't mean the puffs are cooked fully yet. When you think they are done then it is time to leave them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes longer at a lower temperature to dry out or finish cooking the inside. Otherwise they usually just collapse when cooling. This will also help you avoid having to scrape out the insides!!
Things that will help get you success:
1. Make sure everything is measured out and ready before you start
2. It depends on the amount and moisture content of the flour as to how
many eggs you will need so leave a few extra out on top of what you
think you will need and have them ready at room temp(important)
3. Make sure the water is at a rolling boil before you add your flour
4. Once the water or milk has been added then use a small wire whisk and
whisk vigorously until it all comes together (No lumps)cooking until it rolls
away from the side of the pan ..now let it cool for a 2 or 3 minutes
before adding the eggs so they won't immediately coagulate and then
switch to a wodden spoon to add your eggs . Add them one at a time
mixing vigorously after each addition with the wooden spoon until they
are completely incorporated before adding the next egg.
When you have come close to the amount of eggs called for in the
recipe check your batter by placing the spoon in the bottom of the
pot and running it through the center and then lifting it up in the air.
If the batter comes up with the spoon but separates slightly this means
you probably need to to add one or two more eggs.
At a certain point the batter will suddenly come together and be one
smooth mass . This is when you will have to evaluate the batter and
decide if you need more eggs or if your good to go! If your on the fence
I always err on the side of one more egg! This batter should not be
heavy. If you don't have enough eggs in the batter
then you will most likely get the results you spoke of . Pipe or portion
them out to about a little more than half of the size you think the finished
product should look like.
Don't automatically assume that your oven temp is accurate! Oven
temp is crucial when baking products you expect to expand and rise. So
buy yourself an oven thermometer at the supermarket if you don't
already have one and check it ! Wether or not to add more eggs is just
something you will have to learn by doing it over and over until it clicks.
You will learn by the feel of the spoon in your hand and how heavy the
batter feels and also by viually looking at the batter itself !
I hope this helps ! Good Luck !
Foodi4lif !

[panini]

Omi,
The advice up above is great. I would add that you really need to cook your roux. Most recipes that have come from large ones have a little extra water in them to compensate for evaporation when stirring roux and cooling. If you have a mixer then the roux should go right in there when cooked and paddle to cool. You will have steam rising. Eggs can't go in hot.
When your done with mixing in eggs, and you run that spoon through the mixture, the the gully it creates should be closing up about an inch or 2 behind. As Chrose says, These really need a kick at first to shape.
good luck next time
pan

[castironchef]

I'm assuming that you religiously followed the CIA proportions and directions, so I would first suspect your oven of being off temp.

Buy a reliable oven thermometer and go by that, not the oven's thermostat setting. Also, allow a sufficiently long time for real pre-heating. When the oven "dings," I don't consider that the time to start baking (or roasting). In stead, I consider that the start of the 5 -10 minute pre-heat.

Try again, keep copious notes and PLEASE let us know what the problem turned out to be.

[jessiquina]

making choux paste should be very easy and rewarding. make sure you are really working the roux in the pan as you cook it. thats what forms the gluten (use AP flour) and the eggs will form the steam to puff and stretch that gluten so it forms the hollow center... i dont know if that makes sence the way i typed it....

[VillageCakeLady]

I have a recipe that has never failed yet if you would like it?

[Omi]

My goodness! I am overwhelmed by the responses! Either my thermometer is way off or my oven is way off. The local kitchen store is temporarily out of oven thermometers so I will have to wait unless one from Wal-Mart will suffice. The thermometer I have measures my oven temp about 50 degrees off. I find that hard to believe so I will purchase another. (Although the leg of lamb I cooked the other night was very undercooked after I had cooked it for an hour--according to the recipe it should have been just right).

The other thing here that I really did not know is the amount of eggs needed. I will try another batch and not be hesitant with the addition of the eggs. Another great point is the rate at which the dough closes up when a spoon is run through it, I did not know this. Oh, and the cooling down of the dough before the addition of the eggs, I will take note of this. I will regulate my oven temp. then give it another try, my pastry cream was delicious so I really would like to be able to pipe it into a stellar puff or an great eclair. I know now my roux (never heard pastry dough called roux....it is my inexperience---I am from New Orleans where we are brought up to think a roux isn't a roux unless it is chocolate brown and nutty smelling!) was way to stiff... Willl let you know how it turns out and yes Village Cake Lady if you have a no-fail recipe, I would love to give it a try. Thanks. Omi

[Z~BESTUS]

OMI:
Good morning. The suggestions you have recieved from member CH ROSE are very accurate. You must raise the baking temp. 375 degrees is too low. Now then my friend believe this you need between 10 & 12 eggs for your recipe calling for 12, oz of bread flour. The eggs should be 155 to 167% of the weight of the flour. Industry standards for a large egg is 1.70 oz out of the shell. If you require directions for mixing the ingredients post back to me. Good luck & have a nice day.
~Z~BESTUS.

[VillageCakeLady]

Originally Posted by Omi

yes Village Cake Lady if you have a no-fail recipe, I would love to give it a try. Thanks. Omi

WOW I am so sorry for not answering for so long!!!!

CHOU PASTRY in food processor

Bring to a boil in med sauce pot:
1/3 cup butter or golden shortening
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp white sugar
-add all at once 1 cup ap flour - do not over cook - stir till ball forms and is not sticky.
Put this into food processor with blade attachement. Add 4 eggs and mix till blended. (Hold on to machine some times it gets off kilter)
Form the size/shape of puff you want on greased/ floured sheet.
Brush with egg yolk/bit of water mixture
Bake 10 minutes at 400F then turn down to 350F for 25 miinutes. Turn oven off and allow chou to dry for 5 minutes with the oven door part open. Then cool on pastry rack.