Pompoms, chouquettes, whatever you call these sweet and airy treats, they are a staple in any French household. And we all know that we, black people, love a good pastry. So, I’m here to share with you this easy and traditional recipe for these mouth-watering petits choux. First things first, let’s get our ingredients ready: - 150g flour - 125g butter - 4 eggs - 20g sugar - A pinch of salt - 150ml water Now, let’s get to work. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius, and line a baking sheet with some parchment paper. In a pot, bring the water, butter, sugar, and salt to a boil. Once the butter has melted, remove the pot from the heat and add in the flour. Stir vigorously until the ingredients are well combined and a smooth dough has formed. Next, add in the eggs, one at a time, stirring constantly until each egg is fully incorporated. Your dough should now be shiny and elastic. Now, we’re going to form our chouquettes. Using a piping bag, or simply using two spoons, form small dollops onto your lined baking sheet. Make sure to leave some space in between each dollop, as the pastries will puff up while baking. Before putting them in the oven, we’re going to give our chouquettes their characteristic look by sprinkling them with some pearl sugar, or granulated sugar if you don’t have pearl sugar on hand. Bake for around 20 minutes, or until the chouquettes are golden brown and have puffed up nicely. Voilà, your chouquettes are ready! But wait, there’s more. To really take your chouquettes to the next level, you can fill them with some whipped cream or pastry cream. Simply use a piping bag to inject the cream into the small opening you left when forming the chouquettes. Trust me, once you’ve tried these sweet treats, you’ll never go back to regular old boring pastries. But don’t just take my word for it, try it yourself and impress your family and friends with your newfound baking skills. And who knows, maybe you’ll even start your own French pastry business. Bon appétit!
