Pâte à Choux

This is sometimes also known as Éclair paste, essentially it is a dough that can be piped out to make cream puffs, éclairs, paris-brest, choux pastry latice, pralines, choux florentines, as well as mini versions of all of these. Because the levening agent for pâte à choux is steam (from the eggs, milk, water, and butter) it can be made up to an hour before you bake it.

Formula*: yields 1# 8 oz.  (about 40 Éclairs or 70 cream puffs)
8 oz Water**
4 oz Vegetable oil***
0.09 oz (1/2t)  Salt
0.09 oz (1/2t) Sugar, optional
6 oz. Bread Flour****
10 oz. Eggs*****

*This formula is from Gisslen, Professional Baking, Ed. 5, pg. 336
** can use milk, or half water half milk
*** cab use shortening or butter
**** Type of flour used can vary, but you want to use a flour with 11-12% protein. All purpose flours, or low protein bread flours are perfect for this. You can also mix bread flour and pastry or cake flour to achieve this protein percentage.
***** the amount of eggs you will use depends on how long your starch is cooked. You might not use all 10 oz. you might need to have another egg on hand. The amount needed depends on several factors including air humidity, flour percentage, flour humidity..

If you want to add a flavour into your Éclair shell then you can substitute a puree instead of water, or for a percentage of it.


MOP:
Heat water and oil in saucepan on high heat, whisk briefly to combine. Add salt and sugar, if you are using them, and wait until it boils.
When the liquids boil add flour, off of heat, whisk in carefully so you incorporate all the flour.  Bring it back to the heat. On high heat, use a wooden spoon and continuously stir the "ball" until a film is formed on the bottom of the pan. Move the ball around the pan and down so that the entire mixture is getting cooked. Be aware that the longer its cooked the more flavour will be extracted but the longer it cooks the more eggs you will need to hydrate the "ball".

When that film has formed transfer the "bread ball" to a mixing bowl. Start mixing it on a low speed. Add eggs in one by one. Make sure that you whisk the eggs together so that you are incorporating whole eggs. After you add the first egg you will see the mixture separate, when it comes back together around the paddle add your next egg. Watch the mixture and scrape down the bowl as needed.

When you have added most of your eggs test the batter for doneness. You should be able to easily pull the batter between your thumb and first finger forming either an hour glass shape, or stalagtites and stalagmites. It should feel like a custard, a little firmer then a cake batter but not as thick as a cookie batter.

If you are not piping immediately wrap the pâte à choux with plastic, letting the plastic touch the top of the pâte à choux so a crust does not form. Can be stored up to an hour before piping.