Chouquettes, Choux Puff with Pearl Sugar

Something sweet to end the year of 2014, may 2015 will be better for all of us

Chouquette

Ingredients:

250 ml water

100 g butter

150 g flour

4 eggs

4 g salt

4 tbsp. sugar

Pearl Sugar

Egg yolk & Milk for egg wash

Pre-heat oven at 200◦C. Line two baking tray with parchment paper.

Combine water, sugar, salt and butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to boil and stir occasionally. At boil, remove from hear and add in flour, stir to combine completely.

Return the saucepan to heat, stir constantly until batter dries and begin to pull away from the  sides of the pan. 

Transfer to a stand mixer bowl, let it cool slightly.

Attach paddle to the mixer, add 1 egg at a time and mix it, Making sure each egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Dough will be thick, shiny and smooth.

Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a large open tip (I piped directly from the bag opening without a tip). Pipe dough about 1 inch-part in the baking sheets. Place the mounds evenly-spaced apart on the baking sheet. 

Brush the top of each mound with some of the egg glaze then press coarse sugar crystals over the top and sides of each mound. 

Bake the chouquette at 180◦C until well puffed and turning lightly golden in color, about 20 - 25 minutes. Remove to a rack and cool. It can be stored in a airtight box overnight.