![]() GougèresĪ favorite during aperitif hour, gougères are savory choux buns made with cheese (typically gruyère). This is a grandiose tower of chou buns (generally filled with cream) dipped in caramelized sugar and mounted vertically using more sugar. CroquemboucheĪ familiar fixture at French weddings and formal receptions, the croquembouche has gained worldwide recognition thanks in part to cooking shows that show contestants catastrophically failing to get it to set. French donuts (beignets)įilled or plain, French donuts ( beignets) are often made by deep-frying rounded mounds of choux pastry, then topping with powdered sugar or other flavorings. ![]() It’s magnificently simple, and usually delicious. This is one of my favorites among the “choux-set”: two rounded, donut-shaped pastry shells are filled with hazelnut patisserie cream, then topped with slivered almonds and powdered sugar. Paris-Brest A Paris-Brest pastry from French chef Cyril Lignac It’s common to order a bag of them and enjoy with coffee. These golden-baked little choux buns topped with large, crunchy bits of sugar are popular in France as snacks or breakfast fare. Chouquettes “minu: chouquettes” by Merle ja Joonas is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 They’re best served cold (at least in my opinion). Similar to profiteroles but formed into smooth, elongated shells that are filled with patisserie cream and then topped with a glassy layer of icing (chocolate, coffee, vanilla, or other flavors), eclairs are a familiar and irresistible staple in French bakeries. The pastry cream can also be flavored (with chocolate, vanilla, or others). Profiteroles Profiteroles with chocolate sauce/PixabayĪ staple dessert on many French restaurant menus, profiteroles are cream-filled chou buns that are either served nature (plain), with a rich chocolate sauce drizzled over the top, fruit or other sauces. This process gives the dough its characteristic chewy, light texture and allows it to dramatically puff without the aid of yeast or other raising agents. What these treats all share are the dough, made from a simple mixture of butter, water, flour and eggs and partially cooked/steamed before baking in an oven. Other creations made with the pastry are special-occasion centerpieces that are common sights at weddings, receptions, and other formal events. When visiting a typical French bakery or pâtisserie, you’ll see several sweet specialties in the windows that are made with choux pastry– though some may be less obvious, like the rectangular eclair shown above. Rectangular eclair from Yann Couvreur/Courtesy of same A Brief Guide to Typical French Pastries Made with Pâte à Choux This may disappoint some (like me) who assumed the name comes from the rounded forms of the pastry resembling little cabbages ( choux). The term “pâte à choux” only took hold in the 18th century, after two royal chefs named Jean Avice and Antonin Carême (the latter working in the court of Marie-Antoinette) created recipes that most closely resemble the ones used today.Īccording to numerous sources, “pâte à choux” evolved erroneously from the term “pâte à chaud”, or hot pastry, probably related to the fact that part of the batter is pre-heated or cooked. In short, it’s difficult to say for certain who first invented choux pastry.Īnd of course, pastry similar to choux is made elsewhere in Europe, including in Spain (where it forms the base for churros donuts), and in Austria, where apricot-filled boiled dumplings, or Marillenknödel, are composed with a similar type of dough. However, the historical records are generally hazy and sparse, and some say these attributions may be more apocryphal (the stuff of legend) than accurate. Popelins were savory or sweet centerpiece cakes made with choux pastry/ Ronjat – Le Livre de Pâtisserie, plate III (around 1822) Some were savory and incorporated parmesan or gruyère cheese, while others were typically flavored with orange blossom water, sugar and candied lemon peel. “Popelins”, made using choux buns, were reportedly made to resemble women’s breasts.ĭesigned as elaborate centerpieces for formal occasions, popelins were familiar desserts on French aristocratic tables into the 19th century. Later, the story goes, Pantanelli’s successor Popelini created a new kind of cake he named after himself, le popelin, which was made with a dough that was gradually warmed over heat to evaporate its water, which was itself called “ pâte à chaud” (hot pastry). Many historians say it might have been the creation of the Italian chef Pantanelli, who worked at the service of Queen Catherine de Medicis during the 16th century. Like many other popular French patisseries, the origins of choux pastry are likely ones that begin elsewhere in Europe. More on Food History & Pastry-Tasting in ParisĪ Bit of History “croquembouche” by zaimoku_woodpile is licensed under CC BY 2.0.A Brief Guide to Typical French Pastries Made with Pâte à Choux.
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