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Choux PROBLEM HELP Plz

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  panini 
#1 ·
Hi guys i tryed making choux pastry alot with different recipes but it always blows the top
Recipe iam using:grams
500 water
500 milk
20 sugar
10 salt
450 butter
550 flour (all purpose)
16 eggs
*I boil the water,milk,butter,sugar,salt then off the heat, flour in ,lower the heat and i keep cooking it for 5min with stirring it.
Then i cool it down ,and i add the eggs 1 at a time,beating well till no yolks appear.
I pipe it on an lightly oiled baking tray, 150C
Comes out like thishttp://www.cheftalk.com/content/type/61/id/138896/width/200/he
[GALLERY="media, 138898"][/GALLERY]
 
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#3 · (Edited)
Just me, but I don't think those eclairs look so bad.
With Choux , it isn't really about finding the right formula that will produce a perfect, clean, size and look. It's usually is in the method and procedure.
I really think you will find success if you experiment with procedural trial and error before formulas. I have made eclairs state side, oversees, etc. Some of the formulas were totally against my taste preference. But I always managed to tweak the procedure to finish show quality results.
This type of tweaking also brings you closer to the science of baking.
Unfortunately, there are more than a couple of variables that do this to choux. Just looking at the ones in the picture the first thing I see is that your skin is not expanding as the same rate as interior inflation. A strong protein wash will inhibit expansion. A lack of moisture in different areas can cause it. Excess moisture can hurt also. Say, not cooking the roux long enough and not removing the moisture/steam fully. Temperature of the roux before you add the eggs. Now this will seem I'm crazy in the opposite but under-mixing the finished roux will expedite the growth and expansion.
I think you see where I'm going. but again, this is just me.
I would hope that someone would post a proven procedure. It could be a great tool for some group tweaking.
Nothing is set in stone. You could tweak the perfect eclair. Go to your neighbors home, use their oven and have a mess.

Just wondering around a little this morning. I just wanted to add. You can never really rely on photos that they are true or correct. I was looking at your ends. It appears you are dropping from the bag and maybe not piping. Just because I could not see any break offs. This is totally fine. If dropped than just my own personal opinion would be your choux could be a lot looser, actually, even if piped. Picture is probably offf but they also appear a little light in color. ? oven may not have had a proper preheat and temp increase for the first push. Oven to low through out bake. I would be interested in looking at the interior. If the pic is correct, then for me, that would be close to the point of burping the oven a crack to remove moisture and let them sit, brown up, and dry out.
Please keep in mind, these are just my own personal thoughts.
Is that a finishing pan or you bake without parch?
There are dozens here who would totally disagree with me. But that why I enjoy ChefTalk. I'm an old fart and yearn to learn something new everyday.
I just now looked at your formula. I'm assuming you left out the vehicle to moisten the skin for expansion. Wash, etc. Also, you might try a flour with a bit more protein. When we produce choux for eclair we use a quasi pastry flour. We blend a 33% lower protein flour/ soft, with 66% higher protein flour/hard. If you were a home cook I'd probably say 35% cake and 65% bread. I might also say a strong pastry flour, but we have found such great inconsistencies in pastry flours from here in the states in the last 4-5 years.
Please keep us posted.
A little humor. A very close family friends daughter asked me if I could give here a recipe for Zeppoles. She read about St. Joseph, and here son Joseph was having a Birthday party. Most of her guest were Italian, keeping in mind they are young. So, I volunteered to make them for her. This way I could get them there as soon as they were done, which I think is the only way to enjoy them. Well, they have their party. I did not hear from her for weeks. So I see her husband at our monthly vintage car meeting and I mention the Zeppoles. He says, well you know i love ya and I have to be honest with you. My wife was to embarrassed to tell you that quite a few of her guests comments on them were
" they have a wonderful flavor but it seems whoever made them for her really didn't know what they were doing". We think he fried them. Course she also does not buy her occasion cakes from us either. Her hubby once told me she said she could get three sheet cakes at Sam's for what we charge for a 10 " cake. and She's correct.
 
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