When I was in Ho Chi Minh City last week, I checked out some of the amazing French cafes there.
One of the pastries I chanced upon were these cute, amazing, and utterly delicious chouquettes, which are practically French cream puffs, or choux pastry with sugar sprinkled on top of the puffs.
These chouquettes are absolutely delightful with a cup of coffee or tea. Every bite reveals pillowy, light and eggy interior of the pastry, and the sugars on top add a tint of sweetness.
They are especially good with a cup of Vietnamese coffee, which is stronger with a slight bitter taste.
I simply love the combinations.
As soon as I am home, I Googled and found David Lebovitz’s recipe.
I just had to make them to go with the Vietnamese coffee beans that I brought back from Ho Chi Minh City.
David’s recipe calls for pearl sugar, which is not easy to find at regular supermarkets.
They can be purchased online at Amazon but I opted for an easy adaptation.
I used Cupcake Pearls which you can get easily at any stores.
They are not as sweet but they work just fine on the chouquettes.
Please do buy the pearl sugar for the most authentic chouquettes, but my revised recipe will work just fine.
Chouquettes Recipe
Chouquettes - eggy and pillowy choux pastry covered with sugar. These French cream puffs are so addictive and great with coffee or tea.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- Swedish Pearl Sugar or Cupcake Pearls
Glaze:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare the Glaze by mixing the egg yolk and milk together. Set aside.
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Heat the water, salt, sugar, and butter in a small saucepan, stirring, until the butter is melted. Remove from heat and add the flour in. Put the saucepan back on the heat and stir rapidly until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
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Let the dough cool for two minutes, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth and shiny.
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Using a small ice cream scoop to scoop up the dough and transfer it to the baking sheet. Repeat the same until the dough is used up. Brush the top of of the dough with the egg glaze. Press the pearl sugar or cupcake pearls over the top and sides of each dough.
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Bake the chouquettes for about 20 - 25 minutes or until they puff up and become light to golden brown. Serve warm.
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Rose
Hi I had just tried baking the croquettes according to your recipe. The mixture turned out to be too watery and when I put it into the baking tray, it goes flat. Can you tell me why? is it because of the One cup of water that I mixture with the butter to heat it up?
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Rose, you must have measured the ingredients correctly. The dough shouldn’t go flat. If it goes flat somewhere during the process you had done something wrong.
Nayeem
They are just combo for snacks and breakfast. Peanut Butter Cheesecake, this one looking yummmm..
Apon Barta
I also love the combination of coffee and chouquettes. You made it at home using cupcake. But i don’t like cupcake. I love to make chouquettes using chocolate. How would it be?
Rasa Malaysia
Chocolate chouquettes sound like a great idea.