Choux Pastry- for Profiteroles, Cream Puffs or Eclairs

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup butter (65g)
• 1 1⁄4 cups water
• 1 cup flour, sifted
• 3 eggs

Instructions

1 _ Place the butter and the water in a saucepan. Bring the water to the boil and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from the stove.

2 _ Stir in the sifted flour. Add the flour all at once. Beat until smoth.

3 _ Return to the heat, and stir vigourously until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan and forms a smooth ball.

4 _ Allow the mixture to cool slightly.

5 _ Whisk the eggs well and then add them to the choux ball. Beat the eggs into the mixture.

6 _ Use a piping bag to pipe 7-10 cm lengths for eclairs, or place in spoonfuls onto greased cookie trays for cream puffs or profiteroles.

7 _ Bake in a hot oven - 220°C for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°C and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

8 _ Turn the oven off.

9 _ Remove from the oven and immediately make a small slit in the side of each puff to allow the steam to escape. Return to the oven for a few minutes to help dry them out. The oven has already been turned off.