Like the sweet sister of savoury Gougères, those oh so French cheesy puffs, chouqettes are delicious sugary dough balloons.
The light pastry was invented in Italy in the 16th century and perfected by French chefs and renamed choux pastry in the 17th century. It’s used extensively in French cakes – eclairs, Religieuse cakes and chouquettes, choux pastry sprinkled with pearly sugar crystals.
It’s said that the name comes from the fact that they are mini choux pastry cakes, chou-quettes. They’re quite easy to make, and are delicious bite-sized little snacks, perfect with coffee or tea, even for breakfast…
Ingredients for 35 chouquettes
25 cl of water
1 tablespoon caster sugar (10g)
5g salt (level teaspoon)
100g butter (cut into cubes)
150 g flour
4 medium eggs
Sugar crystals
Preheat the oven to 200 ° C (Gas Mark 7) and line a tray with baking paper.
Heat the water, salt, sugar and butter in a saucepan stirring constantly. When the butter is completely melted and the liquid brought to a boil remove from the heat.
Pour in the flour in one go and mix with a wooden spoon over a low heat until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan.
Remove from the heat, add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
Place a tablespoon of dough on the baking sheet and leave plenty of space in between for them to rise. Sprinkle the crystal sugar over the dough mounds.
Cook for 15 minutes then lower the thermostat to 175 ° C (Gas mark 6) and cook for a further 15 minutes.
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