Gluten-Free Choux Buns
A delightful twist on the classic French pastry
Ingredients
- 3 oz butter
- 7 floz water
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 4 oz gluten-free flour
- 3 medium eggs
- 150 ml cream
- 2 oz dark chocolate melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200oC and grease a baking tray.
- Heat the water, butter, and sugar in a pan until the butter melts. Then tip in all the flour whilst beating with one hand and then remove the pan from heat. Continue to beat – hard – until you have a ball of dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan. Allow the pan and dough to cool a little.
- Beat the eggs in a separate dish in the meantime. Add a little of the egg at a time and beat until fully combined before adding the next bit. Continue until you have a smooth paste which just drops from the spoon.
- Either spoon or pipe the pastry onto the tray and put into the oven. Throw some water into the roasting tin before closing the oven; this will create more steam and will help the pastry to rise (in theory!)
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden-brown. Pierce or slice buns (depending on whether you want to keep them whole) and allow to cool on a rack.
- Whip the cream and fill the buns.
- Make a chocolate ganache with melted dark chocolate and cream, or a chocolate sauce with sugar syrup and melted chocolate, and smother the buns.
- If they are pretty, serve proudly and guard jealously. Otherwise, get stuck in!
Notes
- Tips when making choux pastry desserts:
- What to do if your pastry is too runny? You probably add raw flour to the mixture. However, don't do that. This method won't yield the ideal pastry shells. Instead, create a small stovetop batch of dough, eggless, and then blend it into the runny pastry.
- To keep your choux pastries crispy, you can cut them in half or poke small holes in the bottom to let any extra moisture escape. Pop them in an airtight container in your fridge to store.
Now, when you take them out, they might feel a bit soggy. Don't worry, though. You can easily bring back that satisfying crunch by putting them in a preheated 175°C oven for about 5 minutes.
But here's the thing – these pastries are at their absolute best when they're fresh, so try to enjoy them on the same day you make them. That way, you'll savor the full, crispy experience!
- Accurate measurements: Ensure precise measurements of ingredients, especially flour and water. Slight variations can affect the dough's consistency.
- Allow the dough to cool for a few minutes before adding eggs. This prevents the eggs from cooking prematurely when mixed in. The dough should be smooth and glossy.
- Dough consistency: It should be thick, but still pipeable. If it's too stiff, the pastries may not puff up.
- Baking temperature: Maintain a consistent temperature during baking. Avoid opening the oven door too soon, as it can cause the pastries to collapse.
- What to do if your pastry is too runny? You probably add raw flour to the mixture. However, don't do that. This method won't yield the ideal pastry shells. Instead, create a small stovetop batch of dough, eggless, and then blend it into the runny pastry.
- To keep your choux pastries crispy, you can cut them in half or poke small holes in the bottom to let any extra moisture escape. Pop them in an airtight container in your fridge to store.
Now, when you take them out, they might feel a bit soggy. Don't worry, though. You can easily bring back that satisfying crunch by putting them in a preheated 175°C oven for about 5 minutes.
But here's the thing – these pastries are at their absolute best when they're fresh, so try to enjoy them on the same day you make them. That way, you'll savor the full, crispy experience!