I never feel more like a professional pastry chef than when I’m making pate a choux.
Also known as eclair paste, pate a choux is one of the first recipes you typically learn how to make and perfect in baking and pastry school.
There’s something lovely and almost sacred about preparing eclair paste, as if you’re walking on hallowed ground the moment you start measuring the flour.
I believe it’s because preparing pate a choux is a time-honored pastry tradition.
You’re travelling on the same beaten path as many bakers, chefs, and home cooks have followed for years and years.
Every time you make the batter, cook it in the pot, mix in the eggs, shape little mounds on a sheet pan, and bake them until they’re puffy and golden brown, you’re experiencing the same precise steps as all those proud bakers who have made it so many times before you.
And all unite in the enjoyment of the same final result: a thin, crispy crust and a hollow interior that is an absolutely ideal home for a smooth filling of your expert choosing.
If you’re interested in learning more, and want to try this recipe at home for the first time, I recommend you read the basics of making pate a choux in our recipe for classic cream puffs.
Once you study the technique and gain confidence with the steps, you can then build from that foundation and try alternative recipes, like these einkorn flour cream puffs.
The easy batter, made with one of my favorite ancient grains, comes together quickly and bakes flawlessly. The golden domes with their hollow interiors are the best match for a thick vanilla pudding filling, and a chocolate glaze on top.
There is just something about that light and airy dough mixed with thick, vanilla-infused pudding and melted dark chocolate – sweet perfection!
I would say I’m disappointed that I spent so much of my life prior to baking school not knowing the beautiful process of baking eclair paste completely from scratch, but I’ve made up for lost time since then.
And now, I want to give you the same delicious opportunity. Follow my recipe below, and witness this revered culinary tradition, with a small twist, in your own home kitchen!
Einkorn Cream Puffs
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 24 cream puffs 1x
Description
Combine your passion for ancient grains with classic French pastry and make our recipe for einkorn flour cream puffs filled with vanilla pudding.
Ingredients
For the Cream Puffs:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose einkorn flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To Assemble:
- 1 recipe homemade vanilla pudding
- 4 ounces 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
For the Cream Puffs:
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Combine the butter and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
- While they are heating, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.
- Once the butter has melted completely, reduce the heat to low and add the flour mixture. With a sturdy wooden spoon, vigorously stir until the batter forms a pasty, gluey dough, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the batter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. On medium speed, mix the dough for 5 minutes to slightly cool it.
- With the mixer still running on medium speed, add one egg at a time. Wait until the egg is completely mixed in before adding another. Mix in the vanilla until completely incorporated. The mixture should now be smooth, glossy, and slightly thick.
- Use a small cookie dough scooper to create 12 mounds of dough about 1 1/2 inches wide and distribute them onto one of the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each mound. Repeat with the other baking sheet and the rest of the dough.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and puffed. Let the shells cool completely on the baking sheets before filling.
To Assemble:
- Once the puffs have completely cooled, use a sharp petty knife to carefully cut around the middle of each cream puff horizontally, stopping about 75% of the way through. The pastry should still remain intact, with enough of an opening for the pudding.
- Use a small spoon to carefully place about a tablespoon of pudding inside each partially cut pastry. For a more controlled process, you can transfer the pudding to a piping bag fitted with a small circular tip and pipe the filling into each pastry.
- To melt the chocolate, place the finely chopped chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval with a spatula, until completely melted. If your chocolate has seized, don’t panic! Follow our advice on how to quickly save it.
- Drizzle or spread the melted chocolate over the top of each pastry. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Pastry
- Method: Baking/Stovetop
- Cuisine: Dessert
Keywords: einkorn flour, cream puff, vanilla pudding, chocolate, eclair paste
No Leftovers, No Problems!
Because of the thin, delicate structure of this dessert, eclair puffs are best enjoyed the day they are made, ideally as soon as you fill them.
Any liquidy filling like a pudding, pastry cream, or whipped cream will immediately begin to saturate the interior, causing it to become soggy over a short period of time.
Leftovers are a cause for concern – you run the risk of serving soft, soggy pastries. That’s why you and your excited guests need to enjoy these quickly.
And will anyone complain about that small demand? I doubt it.
If you do want to plan ahead, you can choose to make the base and filling separately, no more than 2 days in advance. When you are ready to serve, proceed with filling with the pudding and finishing with the melted chocolate.
What is your favorite way to use pate a choux? Cream puffs, eclairs, or savory gougeres? Do you have any personal tips or tricks for perfecting this classic recipe? I would love to know! Leave a comment below.
For more sweet recipes you are sure to love, make some of my favorites the next time you are determined to present a gorgeous dessert:
Photos by Shanna Mallon, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on March 3, 2014 by Shanna Mallon. Last updated on March 19, 2021.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Nikki Cervone
Nikki Cervone is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheesemonger living in Pittsburgh. Nikki holds an AAS in baking/pastry from Westmoreland County Community College, a BA in Communications from Duquesne University, and an MLA in Gastronomy from Boston University. When she's not nibbling on her favorite cheeses or testing a batch of cupcakes, Nikki enjoys a healthy dose of yoga, wine, hiking, singing in the shower, and chocolate. Lots of chocolate.
These puffs look so dang good – awesome recipe!
Thanks, Katrina!
I am so so glad you have hope and light and see a way out of the dark room. And I’m so grateful for the times you’ve vaulted into our dark room with us.
And I want cream puffs.
As long as I live I will never forget the kindness you have shown me the last few weeks, my friend. You are a good gift and I am thanking God again and again for you.
These cream puffs are beautiful, and so is this post. I’m so sorry you’re suffering, and so glad you are surrounded by loving people who are there for you. Thank you for your words here – they have really resonated with me.
Thank you for saying so, Alanna. That encourages us so much!
Sending you lots of love, dear friend… I’d eat a dozen of those in a heartbeat, too..
Miss you, Suzy! Wish we could polish off a few dozen together…
Oh Shanna, I am so sorry for your painful loss. Such a difficult trial to walk through, but rejoicing how the grace of God flows when most needed. I just pray that you will continue to feel his live & comfort. On a side note, I haven’t made cream puffs in so long – I must try these!
*LOVE. 🙂
: ) Thanks, Kelly. It really does! Grace upon grace, and no one is more shocked by it than I am. He is good.
The idea of a grief as a dark room is such a strong and powerful one and so apt. It can be so hard to make sense of the world around you when your heart is broken but, eventually, you start to recognise what is familiar and draw comfort from that. My thoughts are with you both as you journey towards the light.
Thank you, as ever, Kathryn, for being a voice of love to us over and over again, even from another continent, even through a computer screen.
Oh, I loved reading this. Yes, such hope to know and to be known by! I felt like raising my hands in this post. Praise Jesus!
p.s. I could also possibly raise my hands in worship while eating those cream puffs : )
You have taught me through this experience, Sarah, and I will never forget it. Also, I am sitting here listening to that song and crying about the fact that “rain is no measure of his faithfulness” – YES YES YES YES YES. Thank you for being love to us this week. I am praying great blessing upon you and Stephen this week.
Your positivity is beautiful, Shanna, and I suppose that’s one of the things that keeps me coming back to your blog. So glad you’re strong and have amazing friends to hold your hand through this. On a lighter note, these cream puffs looks amazing! I’m just wondering if it’s possible not to use wheat flour and still have the same effect? Just wondering if you know of any type of non-wheat flour that would work?
Felicia, My first guess would be to try the same weight of an all-purpose gluten-free blend. Good luck! If you try it, we’d love to hear how it goes. : )
LOVE IT. You’re great.
Thanks, sweet Renee!
I have freshly ground sproutedEinkorn. Do you think the recipe will work the same? I am trying to find goof recipes for freshly ground sprouted Einkorn. Thanks much!
Hey Jennifer, I think it’s possible that freshly ground, sprouted einkorn flour could work here, but I haven’t tried it, and I’d probably lean towards using all-purpose because it’s so much lighter, which works well in a pastry dough. That said, I think it’s worth a shot. Worse case scenario: They’ll be a little denser. If you do it, let me know what happens!