There is something really enjoyable about walking into a boulangerie (bakery) in France and leaving with a bag of freshly baked chouquettes in your hands. Reaching for one, biting into its sugary goodness, grabbing a another and another and... just like that, those wonderful puffy clouds of deliciousness are gone, leaving behind a few pearls of sugar in the bag and a very satisfied gourmand(e).
I recently told you on the blog about my trials and errors with making choux pastry and shared with you a delicious recipe for gruyère and rosemary mini gougères.
Today, it's all about the sweetness with delicious chouquettes.
I recently told you on the blog about my trials and errors with making choux pastry and shared with you a delicious recipe for gruyère and rosemary mini gougères.
Today, it's all about the sweetness with delicious chouquettes.
A simple choux pastry dough recipe sprinkled with pearl sugar et voilà, les chouquettes sont prêtes!
I got so excited the first time I made them that I may or may not have eaten a lot of them in one go (yes, you guessed that right, it's the first option...). It brought me back to the times where I would get a bag of them to bring home for le goûter after a long day in school/high school/college. If I still lived in France and worked there, I would probably find a favourite local boulangerie that would provide me with wonderful chouquettes that I could eat on my way home or keep for an after dinner treat with a cup of green tea.
For now, I will have to act as my very own bakery and make some chouquettes at home to satisfy my sweet cravings.
If you also feel like having chouquettes, I share the recipe below. You can give it a try, close your eyes and daydream about la belle France.
I got so excited the first time I made them that I may or may not have eaten a lot of them in one go (yes, you guessed that right, it's the first option...). It brought me back to the times where I would get a bag of them to bring home for le goûter after a long day in school/high school/college. If I still lived in France and worked there, I would probably find a favourite local boulangerie that would provide me with wonderful chouquettes that I could eat on my way home or keep for an after dinner treat with a cup of green tea.
For now, I will have to act as my very own bakery and make some chouquettes at home to satisfy my sweet cravings.
If you also feel like having chouquettes, I share the recipe below. You can give it a try, close your eyes and daydream about la belle France.
Chouquettes Recipe (Vegetarian)
Ingredients (makes approximately 36 mini choux)
250ml cold water
75g diced unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
150g sifted plain flour
1 tablespoon fine caster sugar
4 eggs
1 egg yolk (for brushing)
pearl sugar*
1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC.
Pour the cold water in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the salt and diced butter. Slowly bring to the boil.
2. When the butter has completely melted, take the saucepan off the heat and pour in all the flour in one go. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients vigourously.
Put the saucepan back over a low heat and continue mixing until the dough is dry enough to detach itself from the sides of the pan. Let it cool down for one minute.
3. Add in the tablespoon of sugar then the eggs one by one. Mix the dough thoroughly after each egg before adding the next one. The dough should be firm and supple at the same time.
4. Line two baking trays with baking paper and grease with a bit of butter (I also add a few dots of dough underneath so the paper sticks to the tray). Put the dough into a pastry bag and pipe 18 mini choux buns on each of the trays, leaving about 2cm between each choux as they will puff up.
Beat the egg yolk and brush it over the tops. Sprinkle with pearl sugar.
5. Place the trays on the top and middle shelf. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. After 10 minutes, lower the heat to 180ºC and leave the oven door ajar (I do so by sticking a wooden spoon at the top to keep it open). The chouquettes should be puffed and golden. Place them on a wire rack and cool down before serving.
Bon appétit!
*I brought my bag of pearl sugar back from France. I have not found any around shops here (maybe I did not look properly) but I believe it can be found on Amazon and in Ikea. If you have any tips on where to find pearl sugar in Ireland or the UK, leave a comment below, thank you!
Ingredients (makes approximately 36 mini choux)
250ml cold water
75g diced unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
150g sifted plain flour
1 tablespoon fine caster sugar
4 eggs
1 egg yolk (for brushing)
pearl sugar*
1. Preheat the oven to 210ºC.
Pour the cold water in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the salt and diced butter. Slowly bring to the boil.
2. When the butter has completely melted, take the saucepan off the heat and pour in all the flour in one go. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients vigourously.
Put the saucepan back over a low heat and continue mixing until the dough is dry enough to detach itself from the sides of the pan. Let it cool down for one minute.
3. Add in the tablespoon of sugar then the eggs one by one. Mix the dough thoroughly after each egg before adding the next one. The dough should be firm and supple at the same time.
4. Line two baking trays with baking paper and grease with a bit of butter (I also add a few dots of dough underneath so the paper sticks to the tray). Put the dough into a pastry bag and pipe 18 mini choux buns on each of the trays, leaving about 2cm between each choux as they will puff up.
Beat the egg yolk and brush it over the tops. Sprinkle with pearl sugar.
5. Place the trays on the top and middle shelf. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes. After 10 minutes, lower the heat to 180ºC and leave the oven door ajar (I do so by sticking a wooden spoon at the top to keep it open). The chouquettes should be puffed and golden. Place them on a wire rack and cool down before serving.
Bon appétit!
*I brought my bag of pearl sugar back from France. I have not found any around shops here (maybe I did not look properly) but I believe it can be found on Amazon and in Ikea. If you have any tips on where to find pearl sugar in Ireland or the UK, leave a comment below, thank you!
