Chouquettes

Serves: 30

These adorable chouquettes are the perfect accompaniment to a warm drink at a coffee morning or afternoon tea with friends. 

Ingredients

For the choux

• 125ml water
• 125ml milk (whole)
• 100g butter (unsalted) (cubed)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp unrefined golden caster sugar
• 170g plain white flour
• 4 egg(s) (free range)

For the decoration

• Icing sugar (for dusting)
• 100g unrefined golden caster sugar

Directions

1Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan /gas mark 4).

2Pour the water and milk into a pan and add the butter, salt and sugar. Place the pan on a high heat and melt the butter.

3Turn the heat down to low and add all of the flour. Beat hard, until you have a smooth ball that pulls away from the sides of the pan without sticking.

4Take the pan off the heat and continue to beat until the dough is cold enough to touch. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating until the batter smooths out. Once all the eggs have been added and the mix is smooth, put the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 5mm nozzle. Line several baking trays with baking paper, dotting a little dough in each corner to stick the paper down.

5To pipe the chouquettes, hold the nozzle at a 90-degree angle about 5mm from the tray. Keep the nozzle upright and pipe the walnut-sized ball of dough, then quickly flick the nozzle sideways to stop the dough trailing. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.

6Dust the chouquettes with icing sugar and then leave for a minute before sprinkling with the caster sugar. Repeat with a second layer of icing sugar before baking for 20 minutes or until golden and crisp.