Make this amazing and soft chocolate choux buns with vanilla cream filling. Yes, it’s sinful, but honestly it’s so good!
Pronounced ‘shooo’ the choux pastry is a classic French recipe that can be filled with sweet and savoury filling. Personally, I love it with a chocolate icing and cream filling, but you can also modify it to whatever you like. On this post, I will be showing you how you can make a perfect choux pastry. You’re probably thinking this looks complicated, but trust me, it’s the easiest thing and the result is amazing!
I made this recipe a couple of years ago, after complaining to my husband that I can never find a chocolate topped choux bun anywhere. I remember back in the UK when Tesco use to sell those pack of twos that always leave me wanting for more. Isn’t it amazing what you can do when you have no other option?
Surprisingly the buns turned out so good that I had to make another batch the following weekend. Then I promised myself that was it. Let’s face it, too many of these will not help get me in those size 10 jeans, so I warn you now, make with caution. 😉
Making The Choux Buns
Start with placing the butter in a pan of water and melt it over a low heat until it starts to boil. As soon as it boils take it out of the heat and immediately add the flour into the pan.
Mix with a whisk until all the flour is fully incorporated with the liquid and there are no lumps in the mixture. When it looks silky, place it back in the heat, adjust it accordingly so that your dough does not burn. Keep mixing until it starts to separate from the pan and forms a ball.
Take it out of the heat, and leave for a couple of minutes or so before adding the eggs. This is to ensure that the eggs do not cook, or turn scrambled. Be patient…
Once it’s cooled add the eggs one at a time and keep mixing with a wooden spoon or a plastic spatula. You need strong arms for this recipe!
And just like that, you choux pastry is ready to make into buns!
Baking Your Choux Buns
Line a tray with greaseproof paper, and start to place your buns with about 5cm gap in between. The great thing about making your own is that you can make them as big or as small as you want. It really depends how greedy you are. In my case, I made mine a bit bigger than normal. 😉
Bake the buns in the centre of the oven for around 10-15 minutes at 180°C and then reduce the temperature to 170c. Resist the urge to open the oven! It’s important that the pastry cooks for around 20 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Remove the buns out of the oven and turn the oven off.
[tds_note]Ovens can vary in temperature and the cooking time depends on the size and shape of your choux pastry.[/tds_note]Poke a small hole into each bun. You can use a toothpick or a BBQ stick. This allows the steam to escape. Return your choux buns in the oven and allow to dry for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Remember, allow the steam out of the buns is a very important step. This is to ensure that the interior walls of the pastry is dry. If you do not do this will cause the pastry to collapse when they are removed from the oven.
Making The Chocolate Topping
Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl and put it over a pan of water. Heat up the pan until the chocolate and butter melts, stir the mixture occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
Making The Filling
Whisk the cream together with the vanilla extract and caster sugar until it starts to stiffen. Slice the buns in half and fill it to your liking!
Alternative Fillings
Once you know how to make basic choux pastry there’s really no stopping you. You can fill them with anything you want. Popular fillers would be, coffee cream, vanilla custard, chocolate cream, strawberries and cream, the list goes on…If you pipe your pastry then you can also make eclairs and small balls are transformed to profiteroles.
How To Keep Choux Pastry Crispy
Choux pastry is meant to be crisp and unfortunately, their crispness depends on temperature and humidity. It is best eaten within 2 days and it can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge.
How To Freeze Choux Pastry
Great news, choux pastry is suitable for freezing and it can be kept in the fridge for 2 days before cooking. To freeze choux buns you will need to allow them to cool completely and then freeze in a container. You can also shape the pastry on a tray and place it in the freezer where they can be kept for a few months. When you are ready to use them, bake them the usual way for 5-10 minutes.
Take note that choux pastry is better eaten fresh, if you freeze them after being baked, there is no guarantee that it will have the same crispy texture.
Chocolate Choux Buns with Vanilla Cream Filling
Despite looking complicated, choux pastry is super easy to make. It's very versatile and suitable for both and savoury filling.
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 115g salted butter
- 240 ml water
- 2 tsp caster sugar (optiona)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 145g plain flour
- 4 eggs beaten to mix
Vanilla Cream
- 480ml double or whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp caster sugar or granulated sugar
Chocolate Topping
- 100g milk or dark chocolate
- 40g butter in room temperature
Instructions
Choux Pastry
- Place the butter in a pan of water and melt it over a low heat until it starts to boil. As soon as it boils take it out of the heat and immediately add the flour into the pan.
- Once it starts to boil, remove from the heat and immediately add the flour, stirring rapidly until the mixture forms a ball and does not stick to the side.
- Mix with a whisk until all the flour is fully incorporated with the liquid and there are no lumps in the mixture.
- When it looks silky, place it back in the heat, adjust it accordingly so that your dough does not burn. Keep mixing until it starts to separate from the pan and forms a ball.
- Take it out of the heat, and leave for a couple of minutes or so before adding the eggs.
- Once it’s cooled add the eggs one at a time and keep mixing with a wooden spoon or a plastic spatula.
- Put the mixture in a piping bag and pipe a spiral shape on the prepared baking tray. Ensure that there is a gap in between each bun.
- Bake the buns in the centre of the oven for around 10-15 minutes at 180°C and then reduce the temperature to 170°c.
- It’s important that the pastry cooks for around 20 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Remove the buns out of the oven and turn the oven off.
- Poke small holes into each bun. You can use a toothpick or a BBQ stick. This allows the steam to escape. Return your choux buns in the oven and allow to dry for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate Topping
Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl and put it over a pan of water. Heat up the pan until the chocolate and butter melts, stir the mixture occasionally until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
Vanilla Cream Filling
Whisk the cream together with the vanilla extract and caster sugar until it starts to stiffen. Slice the buns in half and fill it to your liking!
Notes
Ovens can vary in temperature and the cooking time depends on the size and shape of your choux pastry.