French Chouquettes (pastry puffs)

• 1 c water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 6 T butter, cut into small chunks
• 1 c flour
• 4 eggs
• Glaze: 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp milk
• Pearl sugar to sprinkle on top (or break up some sugar cubes); you’ll use about 1/3 c

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Heat the water, salt, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan, stirring, until the butter is melted.  Remove from heat and dump all the flour in at once.  Put the pan on the heat and stir rapidly until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Allow dough to cool for two minutes, then, using an electric mixer beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth and shiny.

Scoop up a mound of dough about the size of an unshelled walnut or a heaping tablespoon with 1 spoon – and use another spoon to scrape it onto the pan.  A pastry bag with 1/2″ tip works too.

Leaving 2″ or so between mounds, space the mounds evenly on the baking sheet.  Then brush the top of each mound with the egg glaze and press lots of pearl sugar on top.  Because that is the main source of sweetness, you want to get as many on top as you can.

Bake the puffs at 425 degrees for 15 minutes and then lower the heat to 375 degrees and bake another 10 minutes – or until golden brown.

These are best eaten within an hour or so of coming out of the oven.  Baked ones will freeze well in zip lock bags.  Frozen ones should be first defrosted and then warmed in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes.