Cream puffs (Choux Puffs)

Ingredients

• 200 ml water
• 80g butter
• a pinch of salt
• 100g self raising flour
• 3 eggs beaten (I used only 2 1/2 eggs since my eggs are bigger)

Method

1. Bring water, butter and salt to boil quickly
2. Lower fire and pour all flour in. Stir vigorously to get a cook dough.
3. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Add in beaten egg slowly to get a thick batter.
5. Lay on baking tray (lined with grease paper)
6. Scoop 1 Tbsp batter for each puff. can also piped them out to achieve prettier puffs.
7. Bake at 180C degree for 20mins (longer for bigger puffs)
8. Slit top once cooked and cool it on a wire rack

I got some useful tips for the method above.

1. Bringing water and butter to boil quickly at high heat so that butter melt before too much steam is release.
2. When flour is added in, stir with a wooden spoon quickly to make sure there is no lump left. Best reduce heat and stir until you can see the batter leaves the side of the pan
3. When adding eggs, do it little by little so that the egg will mix evenly for a better rising. I divided 3 beaten eggs into 6 time mixing.
4. Do not grease with too much butter otherwise bottom will burn easily. When using parchment paper, I do not grease.
5. First round I scooped with a spoon. Not so pretty. 2nd time I piped them out (using a normal plastic, cut a corner and swirl the batter out in swirls). I get prettier puffs.
6. First 10mins I baked at 200C degree. Then another 10 mins, I reduce heat to 180C. To achieve a golden brown, I add another 3 minutes since my puff is bigger.
7. Once cooked (the oven rings), I took them out immediately to slit with a scissors. Then quickly put back into the oven to continue heating (after oven is turned off) leaving the door a bit open (I slot my baking glove at the door . This is to prevent sogginess so that inner part of the puff can be dried with the leftover heat from the oven.

My beautiful golden puffs. I hope they look edible (this is the best shot from my memory stick). Great to eat with the cream fillings.

How to make cream fillings