Choux pastry, also known as pâte à choux, is a type of pastry dough made of liquid, butter, flour, and eggs. Note the lack of raising agent; the dough achieves its “puff” by the moisture content converting into steam. Done right, you have cloud-like profiteroles, ready to be filled with pastry cream and doused in chocolate sauce. Done wrong, you can still eat your feelings.

The only thing more amazing than the dough’s ease to make is its versatility. Master this (and I promise you, you can), and you’ve unlocked the key to éclairs, to gougères, to the intimidating croquembouche.

Have I ever made one successfully? No. But one can dream. And even the failures taste delicious.

Enjoy your day thread, everybody.