Sugar Puffs with Pearl Sugar
Sugar Puffs
Light French-style choux pastry puffs topped with crunchy pearl sugar or mini chocolate chips for a simple bakery snack.
Sugar puffs, or chouquettes, are small bites of choux pastry baked until hollow, bronzed, and crisp around the edges. They are not filled like cream puffs; the pleasure is in the airy shell and the crunchy scatter of pearl sugar on top.
The dough starts on the stovetop with water, butter, flour, salt, and a little sugar. Once the flour cooks into a smooth paste, eggs are beaten in one at a time until the dough turns glossy and loose enough to scoop or pipe.
Pearl sugar gives the most classic finish because it stays crunchy in the oven, but mini chocolate chips work well for a sweeter variation. Use a generous hand with either topping because the mounds expand as they bake.
These puffs are best the day they are made, when the tops are crisp and the centers are light. If they soften after storage, a brief return to a moderate oven brings back some of the texture.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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2
Combine the water, salt, granulated sugar, and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts and the liquid comes to a steady simmer.
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3
Remove the pan from the heat, add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a smooth ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
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4
Let the dough cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until the dough is smooth, shiny, and thick enough to mound.
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5
Scoop or pipe walnut-size mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them so the puffs have room to expand.
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6
Whisk the egg yolk with the milk, then lightly brush the tops of the mounds without letting glaze drip heavily down the sides.
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7
Press pearl sugar or mini chocolate chips over the tops and upper sides of each mound, covering them generously.
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8
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the puffs are well risen, dry-looking, and deeply golden brown.
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9
Transfer the puffs to a rack and let them cool for a few minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- Water:1 cup
- Fine Salt:1/2 tsp
- Granulated Sugar:1 tbsp
- Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces:6 tbsp
- All-Purpose Flour:1 cup
- Large Eggs, at room temperature:4
- Large Egg Yolk, for glaze:1
- Milk, for glaze:1 tsp
- Pearl Sugar or mini chocolate chips:1/2 cup
Tips & Notes
- Room-temperature eggs blend into the dough more smoothly and help the pastry rise evenly.
- Do not pull the puffs from the oven while they are pale; underbaked choux collapses as it cools.
- For make-ahead prep, chill the finished dough for up to 1 day before scooping and baking.
- Re-crisp softened puffs in a 325°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
