Choux pastry

Simple Choux Pastry instruction

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF. Line baking sheets with baking paper.
2. In the saucepan warm up the butter, water, salt and sugar (if you choose to use it) and bring to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat and add the flour. Stir quickly until the mixture forms a clean ball of dough. Remove from the heat and let to cool slightly.
4. Slowly one by one add the eggs, beating well until the mixture stands in soft peaks.
5. Fill a piping bag with the warm mixture and pipe the buns or small fingers onto the baking sheets.
6. Brush the tops with the remaining egg. Bake for 10 minutes until puffed and golden then lower the temperature to180ºC/350ºF and bake for a further 15 minutes. The buns should be crisp and dry.
7. On removing from the oven, quickly pierce the side of each bun with a skewer to let the steam out and place on a wire rack to cool.