Quintessentially French, chouquettes are traditionally eaten for “le goûter” (midafternoon snack) in their native country. They’re as simple as pastry baking gets. Whip up a batch of choux pastry, sprinkle with pearl sugar, and bake. In an hour or less, you’ll have warm pastries to serve for an afternoon pick-me-up.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
Drop the batter by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pans; a tablespoon cookie scoop works well here.
Alternatively, you can pipe the pastry onto the pans. Transfer the prepared batter to a piping bag with a 1/2” to 3/4" diameter round tip. Pipe into mounds about 1 1/2" in diameter (the pastry will double in volume as it bakes), leaving 2" of space between them.
Sprinkle the pearl sugar onto the sides and tops of the pastries, being as generous as you’d like (remember the chouquettes will double in size, so while the pearl sugar may look crowded before baking, it’ll be much more spread out after).
Bake the chouquettes for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes longer, until they're a medium golden brown. Don't open the oven door while the chouquettes are baking.
Remove the chouquettes from the oven and transfer them to a rack to cool slightly before serving. Chouquettes should be served the same day they’re baked.
Leftover chouquettes can be stored tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let frozen chouquettes defrost at room temperature, then rewarm in a 300°F to 350°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
Pearl sugar, or Swedish pearl sugar as it's sometimes known, is a bright white sugar garnish made by compressing sugar crystals together. It's used on certain pastries, breads, and desserts, and is the traditional finish for chouquettes. Although you won't get the same visual effect, you could substitute sparkling sugar for the pearl sugar here.
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