Choux Pastry (Bignè)

Method

1. Place water, salt, sugar, lemon zest, and butter in a saucepan over low heat and melt the butter.
2. When the butter is melted and the mixture begins to boil, remove the lemon zest.
3. Add all the flour at once, keep the heat low, and stir vigorously until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Turn off the heat and transfer the dough to a bowl.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly until each egg is fully absorbed before adding the next.
6. Transfer the dough to a piping bag.
7. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Pipe small balls (about 1–1.5 cm in diameter) onto the sheets, leaving enough space because they will triple in volume.
9. Bake in a preheated fan oven at 170°C for 12 minutes.
10. After 12 minutes, open the oven door to release steam, then leave the choux inside the turned-off oven with the door slightly open for about 20 minutes.
11. Close the oven door, reheat the oven to 120°C, and bake for another 10 minutes to dry out the choux until perfectly crisp.
12. Remove from the oven and let cool. Optionally, if not crispy enough after cooling, return them to a 100–120°C oven for 5–6 minutes, watching carefully so they do not darken too much.