We took our base pate choux recipe and substituted oat flour for the all purpose flour. We made the pate choux. I scooped the oat choux into a miniature muffin pan to give it a unique shape. I chilled the batter in the muffin tin.
When it was cold I sprinkled half of the oat choux with coarse sugar in the raw. I baked them for 10 minutes at 425°F and then another 25 minutes at 350°F. This ended up being 10 minutes longer than we normally cook our pate choux. I believe it had to do with the oats hanging onto moisture and the muffin pan which kept at least half of the batter covered and unable to evaporate the interior water.
When the puffs were done I struggled to get them out of the teflon pan. I had sprayed it with pan release but in my my haste to make the oat pate choux, it's possible that I did not properly and sufficiently coat the insides of the cups.
Several oat puffs were eventually able to be extracted from the pan. And I baked a few more free form on a sheet pan to see the results. The flavor of the oat pate choux is wonderful. It tasted like the essence of oatmeal in a crisp crust with a soft, tender, almost bread pudding-like interior. The sweetened version resembled light as air oatmeal cookies. With the base in place the choice of fillings become a fascinating endeavor.
Oat Flour Pate Choux
225 grams water
113 grams butter
3 grams salt
130 grams oat flour
216 grams/ 4 large eggs
Put the water, butter and salt in a medium pot on medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, making sure the butter has completely melted. Add the oat flour to the pot and use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture together. The oat flour will hydrate and form a ball in the pot. Continue to cook for 1 minute until the ball appears dry and does not stick to the sides of the pot. Remove the pot from the heat. Use a hand mixer to beat the eggs into the batter one at a time. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. When all the eggs have been added and absorbed, cool the batter down in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Pre-heat an oven to 425°F.
Put about a tablespoon of pate choux in a greased mini-muffin tin or pipe about a tablespoon in a small mound on a parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving about 2-inches between each portion. Bake the pate choux for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350°F. without opening the door and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until the pate choux is puffed and appears fully dry. Remove the pate choux from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan. Eat plain or stuff with anything you desire.
Years Past
Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work
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Gluten Free Flour Power: Bringing Your Favorite Foods Back to the Table
