Nun's Farts

Pate a choux is a light, airy dough used in many French pastries, including eclairs, cream puffs, savory gougeres and pets de nomme (translated: nun's farts).

Pate a Choux Recipe:


Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup flour
• 4 large eggs
• pinch of salt

-for eclairs, cream puffs or nun's farts, add 1 tsp. granulated or raw sugar to dough. Prepare the filling of your choice for eclairs or cream puffs. You could also add a bit of vanilla or almond extract to this recipe. For cream puffs, you'll need some confectioner's sugar or cocoa powder to dust. For eclairs, prepare a glaze.
- for gougeres, you'll need finely shredded cheese, parmesan, salt and paprika.
-for nun's farts, you'll need oil for frying and confectioner's sugar to dust.

Directions:

• (for making eclairs, gougeres or cream puffs) Pre-heat oven to 425
• In pot, bring water and butter to a simmer. Add flour and stir until it forms a dough and looks a bit drier.
• Transfer to electric mixer with paddle attachment.
• Add eggs, one at a time, while mixing on low. Add salt (and sugar/extract if using) while mixing. Dough should become quite sticky.
• Transfer dough into gallon size bag with 1/4 in. corner snipped off

For cream puffs:

• Line cookie sheet with parchment or silicone mat. Pipe out dough in a spiral action about 2 inches high, and 2 inches apart, then press down peaks with finger. Place in oven and bake at 425 for 7 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake an additional 9-11 minutes, avoiding opening oven door before this point. Check them, they should have browned just a bit and be dry and light.
• Remove and allow to cool, then fill with pudding/custard/mousse/whipped cream by cutting them in half and spreading or by piping filling in using the pastry tip to poke a hole in puff and filling until it resists and tries to escape hole.
• Dust with confectioner's sugar

-Can be frozen for storage then thawed a few minutes prior to serving.

For small Eclairs:

• Line cookie sheet with parchment or silicone mat.
• Using pastry bag with a medium hole tip, pipe onto baking sheet in strokes about 1 inch wide by three inches long and 2 inches apart pressing down any peaks from releasing with your finger.
• Bake at 425 for 7 minutes, turn down heat to 350 and bake an additional 9-11 minutes, check for light browning and a dry light eclair.
• Let cool then fill with pudding/custard/mousse using pastry tip with fine tip to poke hole in end of eclair and squeeze in filling until it resists and tries to exit hole. Add a glaze if desired.

For gougeres:

• To recipe, during time when eggs are added, also add 1 cup or so of a finely grated sharp cheese a bit at a time while incorporating eggs, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp. paprika
• Line cookie sheet with parchment or silicone mat, and scoop out onto sheet using spoon in about 1 Tbsp. portions, set 2 inches apart.
• Bake at 425 for 8 minutes, then lower to 350 and bake an additional 10-12 minutes, until golden dry and light.
• Sprinkle with a bit of salt if desired.

For the nun's farts:

• Fill gallon bag with 1/4 inch corner snipped off with dough.
• Heat two inches of vegetable oil on medium in pan until a drop of water dripped into it sizzles.
• Squeeze out dough straight over hot oil in spurts (carefully). Do a few at a time, don't crowd your pan. Cook until golden and puffed.
• Remove from oil using strainer spoon and allow to cool on paper towel
• Dust with confectioner's sugar.

XO, Debbie