Baby Choux Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit a pastry bag with a plain 1/2-inch round tip (or use a zip-top bag with corner snipped).

Make the panade

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup water, 1/4 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring so butter melts evenly.

Incorporate the flour

Once the liquid boils, remove the pan from heat and immediately add 1 cup all-purpose flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan (about 30 seconds). Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes to dry the paste slightly.

Cool slightly and add eggs

Transfer the panade to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Let cool 3–5 minutes (so it isn't hot enough to scramble eggs). Beat in eggs one at a time: add one egg and mix until incorporated and mixture becomes glossy and smooth. Continue with remaining eggs, adding each only after the previous is fully incorporated. After all eggs are added, the dough should be thick but pipeable — it should fall from a spoon in a V-shape.

Pipe and bake

Pipe small rounds about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter (baby choux) onto prepared sheets, spacing 1.5 inches apart. For uniform tops, dip a finger or small spoon into water and gently smooth any peak of dough. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) without opening the door and bake an additional 15–18 minutes until puffed and deep golden brown. Do not open oven while baking—they may collapse if exposed to sudden temperature change.

Dry and cool

Once baked, prick each choux with a sharp knife or skewer to allow steam to escape, then return to oven (turned off) with door ajar for 5 minutes to dry out centers. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Heat milk and vanilla

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups whole milk with the scraped seeds of a vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract) over medium heat until it just begins to steam and small bubbles form around the edges. Do not boil.

Whisk yolks, sugar, and cornstarch

While milk heats, whisk together 4 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup cornstarch in a heatproof bowl until pale and smooth.

Temper the eggs

Slowly pour about one-quarter of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, whisking continually.

Cook until thick

Return saucepan to medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a full boil and thickens considerably (about 1–2 minutes once boiling). Continue cooking and whisking for 30 seconds to ensure cornstarch is cooked. Remove from heat.

Finish and chill

Whisk in 2 tablespoons cold cubed unsalted butter until smooth and glossy. Transfer pastry cream to a shallow bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto its surface to prevent a skin from forming, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.

Prepare glaze

Whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon water to a thick but spreadable icing; add more water a few drops at a time if needed. If using melted chocolate for decoration, melt 2 tablespoons chocolate in a microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between, until smooth.

Fill the choux

Fit a pastry bag with a small plain tip (or poke a small hole in the bottom of each choux). Fill the pastry bag with chilled pastry cream. Insert tip into the hole or bottom of each choux and gently pipe until you feel weight/see filling when small amount emerges (about 1–2 teaspoons per choux). Alternatively, split tops and spoon filling in.

Glaze and decorate

Dip the top of each filled choux into the powdered sugar glaze and let excess drip off. Arrange on a rack. Optionally drizzle with melted chocolate or pipe decorative dots or lines while glaze is wet.

Serve

Allow glaze to set 10–15 minutes, then serve. Store filled choux in refrigerator and consume within 24–48 hours for best texture (unfilled shells keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days).