Divas on a Dime: Cheesy spider puffs
By Patti Diamond
Pâte à Choux Made Easy: Add Some Pastry Magic to Halloween and the Holidays.
If you haven't discovered the joy of making pâte à choux yet, let me introduce you to your new holiday best friend. This pastry dough is not only simple to master but incredibly versatile. Whether you're planning to whip up spooky cheese puff spiders to delight Halloween guests or elegant cream puffs for future holiday soirees, this dough has you covered.
Pâte à choux (pronounced "paht a SHOO") is the airy, hollow pastry behind classics like profiteroles, cream puffs and eclairs. It puffs up golden and light, ready to be filled with whipped cream, custard or savory delights. You may not know it by its fancy French name, but you've probably tasted it before. Delicious, right?
But here's the fun part: Pâte à choux isn't just for sweet treats. With the addition of cheese and herbs, it turns into something magical for savory snacks like gougères (cheesy puffs). And with the holidays around the corner, this four-ingredient dough will quickly become your secret weapon in the kitchen. Savory or sweet, pâte à choux is perfect for impressing guests with minimal effort.
BASIC PÂTE À CHOUX RECIPE
Yield: 72 pieces
Total Time: 90 minutes
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
Preheat your oven to 425 F and lightly grease two baking sheets.
In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water, butter and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, add the flour all at once, and stir quickly. Return to medium heat and stir until the batter pulls away from the sides -- about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer the batter to a stand mixer with paddle attachment and let cool for 10 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated. The batter will smooth out by the final egg.
Drop or pipe teaspoon-size mounds of dough onto baking sheets, spacing them apart. Smooth the tops with damp fingers or a spoon.
Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350 F and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Do not open the oven door during baking!
Remove from the oven and make a small slit in each puff to release steam. Return to the oven for 5 more minutes to dry out. Let cool on a rack.
Return the temperature back to 425 F and repeat with remaining batter.
Turn your pâte à choux into spooky cheese puff spiders for Halloween fun!
CHEESE PUFF RECIPE
Yield: 72 pieces
Total Time: 90 minutes
One recipe Basic Pâte à Choux
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Chow mein noodles
Edible markers
Add Parmesan, pepper and Italian seasoning to the dough. Bake according to previous recipe. After baking, press eight crispy chow mein noodles into each puff for legs. Add dots for eyes using an edible marker. Arrange on a platter and enjoy these edible spiders!
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips: Pâte à choux freezes beautifully, making it a fantastic option for prepping ahead of holiday festivities. Cool the puffs completely, then freeze in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, simply reheat in a 350 F oven for 5-10 minutes to restore their crispness.
Whether you're baking up spooky cheese puff spiders or whipping out elegant holiday hors d'oeuvres, get creative, and let the choux-nanigans begin! (Sorry! I couldn't resist.)
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Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime -- Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com
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