Moments of Bliss

These little fried puffs use pâte à choux as their base, the same dough behind cream puffs and éclairs, but instead of baking they hit hot oil and puff up into golden, crunchy bites. Pecans and maple extract folded into the batter make them taste like a cross between a beignet and a pecan praline.

The choux technique is what makes these work. Boiling water melts the butter, then the flour goes in all at once and gets stirred hard until the dough pulls away from the pan into a smooth ball. That’s the moment the starches gelatinize, which is what gives choux its structure. Let it cool just enough so the eggs don’t scramble when you beat them in one at a time.

Drop tiny amounts (half teaspoons) into the oil. They’ll sink, then float and puff as the steam inside expands the dough. Two to three minutes gets them golden brown all the way through. A toss in confectioners’ sugar while they’re still warm gives them that sweet, snowy coating that sticks.

Pro Tips

• Keep oil at a steady temperature. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through. Too cool and they absorb oil and turn greasy
• Use an electric mixer when adding the eggs. Each one needs to be fully incorporated before the next goes in, and hand stirring gets exhausting fast
• Fry in small batches of 4 to 5 so the oil temperature doesn’t drop
• These are best eaten within an hour of frying while still crisp

Variations

• Replace maple extract with vanilla or almond extract for a different flavor profile
• Swap pecans for finely chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
• Drizzle with warm maple syrup instead of confectioners’ sugar for a sticky, indulgent finish