PASTRY BALLS

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🥯✨ PASTRY BALLS (BAKED – LIGHT & AIRY)

Makes: ~20–24 pastry balls
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Total: ~40 minutes

⭐ Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar (optional for sweeter pastry)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • Optional fillings/toppings:
    • Whipped cream
    • Pastry cream
    • Nutella
    • Jam
    • Chocolate glaze or dusting of powdered sugar

🥣 Instructions (Baked Version)

1. Preheat

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cook the dough

  1. In a saucepan, combine water, butter, sugar, and salt.
  2. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
  3. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon.
  4. Cook 1–2 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a smooth ball.

3. Add the eggs

  1. Remove the dough from heat and let cool 3–4 minutes.
  2. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
    The dough should become smooth, shiny, and pipeable.

4. Pipe or scoop

  • Drop tablespoon-sized blobs onto the baking sheet
    or pipe with a pastry bag for round, pretty balls.

5. Bake

  • Bake 20–25 minutes until puffed and golden.
  • Do not open the oven early — they need steam to puff.
  • Cool completely before filling.

6. Fill or top

Use a piping bag to fill with:

  • whipped cream
  • pastry cream
  • chocolate cream
  • lemon curd
  • Nutella

Dust with powdered sugar or dip tops into melted chocolate.

🍩✨ PASTRY BALLS (FRIED – CRISPY & DOUGHNUT-LIKE)

Makes: 25–30 mini pastry balls
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

⭐ Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup butter
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar (optional)
  • Oil for frying
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

(This uses the same choux dough, but fried instead of baked.)

🥣 Instructions (Fried Version)

1. Make the dough

Prepare the dough exactly the same as the baked version
(water + butter → boil → add flour → mix → add eggs).

2. Heat oil

  • Heat oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C).

3. Fry

  • Scoop small spoonfuls of dough into the hot oil.
  • Fry 3–4 minutes, turning often, until golden and puffed.
  • Drain on paper towels.

4. Finish

  • Dust with powdered sugar
    OR
  • Roll in cinnamon sugar
    OR
  • Drizzle with honey or chocolate

🍽️ Variations

Custard-Filled Pastry Balls

Inject vanilla pastry cream after baking or frying.

Savory Pastry Balls

Remove sugar and fill with:

  • herbed cheese
  • garlic cream cheese
  • chicken salad
  • smoked salmon mousse

Chocolate Pastry Balls

Stir 2 tbsp cocoa powder into the dough; fill with chocolate cream.

Lemon Pastry Balls

Fill with lemon curd and dust with powdered sugar.

🎉 Perfect for:

  • Parties
  • Holidays
  • Afternoon snacks
  • Dessert trays
  • Homemade profiteroles

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