Choux pastry

Preheat the oven to 200 ºC and butter a baking sheet or spray with non-stick spray. Bring the water, butter or margarine and salt to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the cake flour all at once. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball. Leave the pastry to cool until lukewarm. Beat the eggs and add small quantities at a time, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Repeat until all the egg has been used. The pastry must be fairly stiff and form a point when a spoon is lifted from it. Spoon teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Make- a small incision in each puff to allow the steam to escape. Leave to cool (if the puffs are still slightly moist inside place them in the oven for a few minutes to dry out.) Serve with herbed cream cheese (see puffs with herbed cream cheese recipe).
Makes about 40 puffs.