What is pâte à choux used to make, and what is a key baking characteristic?

• A. Strawberry tart shells; relies on steam
• B. Doughnuts; uses frying
• C. Cream puffs and éclairs; rises by steam to hollow shells.
• D. Bread loaves; uses high gluten

Answer: (C)

Pâte à choux is a light dough used to make cream puffs andÉclairs, and its defining baking behavior is that it puffs up primarily from steam, creating hollow interiors that can be filled. The dough is cooked on the stove to gelatinize the starch and reduce moisture, then eggs are added to form a smooth, pipe-able paste. When it’s baked at a high temperature, the moisture turns to steam and drives a rapid rise, setting a crisp outer crust while the interior stays airy and hollow. This combination—delicate, hollow shells ready to be filled—is what makes cream puffs and Éclairs characteristic of pâte à choux. Other options don’t fit because strawberry tart shells use a different pastry (shortcrust) that doesn’t puff into hollow shells, doughnuts are typically fried and may be yeast- or cake-based, and bread loaves rely on gluten development and other leavening rather than steam-driven hollow puffing.