GF pâte a choux is a success!
I hesitate to give the recipe because while these are wonderful, I don’t think they are perfected and they can be better! I used the classic recipe from the French culinary institute and just subbed out Bob’s red mill for the flour
- 250 milliliters (1 cup plus 1 tablespoon) water
- 113 grams (½ cup) unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of sugar
- 140 grams (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 5 to 6 large eggs, at room temperature FOR THE EGG WASH
- 1 large egg
- 15 milliliters (1 tablespoon) heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 177°C (350°F) for a convection oven, 204°C (400°F) for a conventional oven.
Combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar in a stainless steel pan over medium–high heat and bring to just a boil. Do not allow the water to boil for any length of time or it will begin to evaporate, and the proportion of liquid to dry ingredients will change, compromising the final dough. Once boiling, immediately remove the pan from the heat and using a wooden spoon, quickly beat in the flour.
Return to medium heat and continue beating in the flour for 30 seconds. The mixture should begin to thicken, dry out, and form a mass that does not stick to the pan. Lower the heat and continue beating for about a minute or until the mixture is quite dry (dessécher).
Remove the pan from the heat and, using a rubber spatula, scrape the dough into a clean bowl. Crack one egg at a time into a small bowl. If the egg is perfect, with an unbroken yolk, transfer it to the dough. Using a wooden spoon, beat each egg into the dough, incorporating very well before making the next addition. Continue beating until the dough is smooth and shiny. The dough is well blended when a spatula or spoon lifted out of the bowl forms a ribbon connecting the utensil to the dough, when a finger run through the batter leaves a channel that slowly fills, or when a bit of batter lifted on a spatula or spoon curls over on itself and forms a hook.
Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1.3-centimeter (½-inch) plain (round) tip.
make the egg wash, combine the egg, cream, and salt in small bowl and, using a wire whisk or fork, beat until well blended. Set aside.
Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) between each piece. (The dough is piped according to the size required in a specific recipe. Cream puffs [choux à la crème Chantilly] and profiteroles require that the dough be piped into small rounds, while classic éclairs call for an elongated shape 10 centimeters [4 inches] long by 2.5 centimeters [1 inch] wide. The dough can also be piped into smaller pieces for individual desserts.)
Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and nicely puffed. If using a convection oven, turn it off and leave the pastry in the oven for an additional 10 minutes to dry out. If using a conventional oven, lower the oven temperature to 149°C (300°F), open the oven door, leave it ajar, and allow the pastry to sit for an additional 10 minutes to dry out.