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How come pate a choux can leaven with just internal steam, but bread cannot?

tttt1010's picture
tttt1010

How come pate a choux can leaven with just internal steam, but bread cannot?

I think almost every bread bakers have had some experience with baking a brick due to under fermentation. However, pate a choux, the dough used for cream puffs and ecclairs, can rise very well without any leavening. Internal steam is generally thought to be the power for its leavening, but most artisan breads have more hydration than pate choux. So what is it about choux pastry that allows it to use with just steam, and have bread bakers ever tried to leverage it in their bread?

Abe's picture
Abe

Pate Choux is a light and airy paste. Very different to a bread dough which needs some sort of leavening.

happycat's picture
happycat

Well, I suppose you could check out tangzhong for a roux based method incorporated into breads.

Contrast the proportion of flour to other ingredients in a choux vs bread recipe and you'll probably have your answer. The image I have is putting a sumo wrestler into 6 inch stilettos and have him walk across a sand pit.

colinm's picture
colinm

I think that the big difference is the eggs. Here’s a discussion from Serious Eats : https://www.seriouseats.com/choux-pastry