Choux pastry, or
pâte à choux , is a light
pastry dough used to make
profiteroles,
croquembouches,
éclairs, French
crullers,
beignets,
St. Honoré cake,
quenelles, Parisian gnocchi, dumplings,
gougères, chouquettes and craquelins. It contains only butter, water, flour and eggs. Instead of a
raising agent, it employs high moisture content to create steam during cooking to puff the pastry. The pastry is used in many European and European-derived cuisines.