You won't believe how easy it is to create these airy pastry shells!

Are you in love with éclairs? Craving a croquembouche? All you need is this basic recipe for choux (pronounced "shoe") pastry and whatever you'd like for the filling. With just a handful of ingredients and a bit of imagination, you can make cream puffs to rival any bakery.

Recipe: Basic Cream Puff Shells (Choux Pastry)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 4 large eggs

Method:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter in the water. When it comes to a boil, quickly dump in all of the flour and mix it with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms. Remove from the heat and transfer the dough to a mixing bowl.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. A hand mixer really gets the job done quickly if you have one. When you're done, you should end up with a thick batter that you can easily pipe through a frosting bag. For small, bite-sized cream puffs, use a star tip and pipe a mound about the size of a quarter, flattening the peak gently. Bake for 15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Don't worry, these won't stick!

When the choux are golden brown and puffed up, remove them from the oven, slide them onto a platter, and poke a tiny hole in the side of each with a toothpick. This is to let the steam escape so they don't collapse. Don't skip this step! As written, this recipe will make about 5 dozen small choux. If you choose to make larger ones, increase the baking time and peek every 3 minutes or so to make sure they don't get too brown. 

Photo by Sarina Petrocelly

From here, the sky's the limit! Simply fill them with a bit of whipped cream, chocolate mousse, or any sweet or savory filling of your choice. Top éclairs with a silky chocolate ganache or tinted royal icing. One of the easiest fillings that still tastes homemade is a mixture of pudding and whipped cream. If you don't have a piping bag to fill the choux, you can use an inexpensive plastic squeeze bottle to get the job done.

Variations:

• These cute little puffs can go savory too! Mix up some cream cheese or softened goat cheese with herbs and freshly snipped chives, or try adding smoked salmon and blend it for something fancier.
• If you're feeding a crowd, try stacking your filled cream puffs with a little bit of caramel or chocolate ganache in a croquembouche. The resulting tower can be decorated with fresh flowers, piped frosting, or even spun sugar if you're feeling extra creative.
• In a hurry but want profiteroles later? Make bigger puffs and pop them in the freezer once they're baked and cooled. Let them thaw at room temperature before slicing off the top and filling them with ice cream or whipped cream. Drizzle them or serve on a pool of chocolate sauce with some fresh berries. 

Do you have a favorite cream puff filling and topping combination? Share it with us in the comments.