November 16, 2021 - 12:02pm
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?