Crisp choux pastry filled with deliciously soft whipped cream, topped with Nutella and roasted hazelnuts. These Gluten Free Nutella Choux Buns are pretty amazing.
What are choux buns?
Choux pastry or pâte à choux is a form of pastry made using flour, water, butter and eggs. Instead of using a raising agent, it relies on the high moisture content to steam the pastry as it bakes.
Classic ways of using choux is for eclairs, profiteroles or choux buns. Choux buns are simply put a larger version of profiteroles. You would just eat one choux bun whereas you would eat multiple profiteroles.
They are also often called cream puffs in the US.
Why make these Nutella Choux Buns Gluten Free?
I first made these for a weekend in the Cotswolds with my lovely Uni friends. One of my friends has coeliac disease so whatever I made had to be suitable for us all.
I adapted Glutarama’s éclair recipe for these Nutella Choux Buns. She has so many delicious gluten free recipes I knew her choux pastry would be no different.
If you are familiar with gluten free food, it sometimes doesn’t taste quite like its gluten containing counterpart. The great thing about making these Gluten Free Nutella Choux Buns is that no one could taste any difference.
These buns are great to make so that everyone can enjoy the same dessert.
Nutella topped deliciousness
I am a massive fan of Nutella and use it in baking whenever I can.
I did realise a few years ago that Nutella includes palm oil. However they have since changed their recipe and now only use sustainable palm oil.
If you don’t want to use any products that include palm oil, then Gü have a delicious palm oil free version.
You could also just use melted chocolate if you prefer.
WHICH HAZELNUTS ARE BEST TO USE?
I prefer to use roasted hazelnuts because they have a nice toasty flavour.
You can buy these toasted and chopped from most supermarkets which is very convenient.
If you would prefer you can buy them whole and roast them in the oven for ten minutes or so until they smell toasted and delicious. You can then chop them or blitz them in a mini food processor.
Which cream is best to use?
You can use double or whipping cream for these choux buns. I tend to buy double cream (heavy cream) through habit, but you can use either.
Double cream has a higher fat content and is easier to overwhip because of this. So if this is something you are worried about, use whipping cream.
Whichever cream you decide to use, make sure you keep an eye on it as cream is easy to overwhip. It can change from liquid to butter in seconds so you definitely need to watch it.
I prefer to whip cream on a low speed so you can hopefully see when it is about to change easier.
I wouldn’t use single cream for this recipe as you won’t get the volume needed.
Choux pastry tips
Make sure you let the flour, water and butter mix cool for at least 15 minutes before adding the eggs. If the mixture is too hot the eggs will start to cook which isn’t what you want!
Don’t panic if your choux pastry looks a little strange when you start adding the eggs. Just keep mixing and it will come together just fine.
After you have baked the choux buns for 25 mins, cut them open. If they still seem a little stodgy inside, just put them back in the oven for a further 5 minutes with their lids off so they can dry out.
Don’t panic if your piping isn’t perfect!
Personally, I think that gluten free choux pastry is harder to pipe than standard choux. Well this is what I tell myself because I struggle to pipe it as neatly!
It really doesn’t matter if you aren’t the best at piping. Choux Buns are allowed to look rustic! Plus you’re covering them in Nutella later so don’t stress yourself out about perfect piping.
What to do if you don’t have a piping bag and/or nozzle
Don’t panic, you can still make these beauties!
Just add the mixture to a sealable sandwich bag. Squeeze the choux pastry to one of the corners and snip it off so you have a hole approximately 1cm wide. Then you can just squeeze the choux out as normal.
If you do have a piping bag, but not a round nozzle, just snip the end of the bag off.
How long will these choux buns keep for?
Choux buns are usually best eaten on the day they are baked. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge and they will keep to the next day.
If you would like them to last longer, you can freeze them once they have cooled for up to three months.
Other recipes you might like
- Gluten Free Carrot Sheet Cake
- Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins
- Best Ever Gluten Free Trifle
- Gluten Free & Vegan Chocolate Orange Cupcakes
- Bailey’s Cheesecake with Chocolate (No Bake)
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Gluten Free Nutella Choux Buns
Crisp choux pastry filled with deliciously soft whipped cream, topped with Nutella and roasted hazelnuts. These Gluten Free Nutella Choux Buns are pretty amazing.
Ingredients
For the choux pastry
- 130 g butter
- 130 ml water
- 200 g gluten free flour
- 4 large eggs
For the filling & topping
- 300 ml double or whipping cream (heavy cream)
- 150 g Nutella
- 20 g chopped toasted hazelnuts
Instructions
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Add the butter and water to a pan and bring to the boil
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Take off the heat and add all of the flour and then stir quickly to combine making sure all of the flour is mixed in
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Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes so the mixture isn't too hot when you add the eggs
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Whilst waiting for the mix to cool, line two baking trays with baking paper and then set aside. Preheat the oven to 200ºC (fan assisted or 220ºC non fan).
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Beat the eggs and add them roughly one egg at a time making sure you stir quickly after each addition and making sure each egg is combined before adding more
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Spoon the mix into a piping bag with a large round nozzle. Pipe large circles of the mix onto the prepared baking trays
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Bake in the oven for 25 minutes making sure you don't open the door
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Allow them to cool for a few minutes before cutting them open. If they are a little bit stodgy inside, put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes so they full crisp up
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Leave to cool whilst you make the filling. Whip the cream until it it forms soft peaks and then pipe into the bottom half of each choux bun
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Melt the Nutella for approximately 30 seconds in a heatproof bowl in the microwave, you’re just looking to get it a bit easier to spead
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Add the tops of the choux buns back onto the cream filled bottoms and then spread with the Nutella before finally sprinkling with the toasted hazelnuts
Recipe Notes
Choux buns are best eaten on the day they are baked, if not the day after.
Nutritional information is given as a guide and may vary.
Linking to
Rebecca says
Absolutely love this sweetie, the nutella and sprinkled nuts are a genius stroke, glad everyone enjoyed them…won’t be long before I do these myself xx
Cat says
Such a fantastic recipe, thank you. As you can imagine they didn’t last long!xx
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
They look fabulous and how nice of you to make them for your friend!
Cat says
Thanks 🙂 She did help me make them so she definitely earned them haha x
Jenny Paulin says
oh my goodness Cat – your choux bus are so big and light and delicious looking! ooooh I am wanting too reach into my screen and grab one to stuff into my mouth! YUM!!! They look fantastic for being GF too . Thank you for hanging to bake along again 🙂 #GBBOBloggers2017 x
Cat says
Haha that’s clearly because I’m greedy so wanted huuuge choux buns! Thanks 🙂 x
Balvinder says
Hi, I’m really impressed by your nutella-choux-buns. The recipe is very detailed and I am going to try it sometime.
Cat says
Thank you 🙂 I hope you like them if you do make them x
Monika says
These look so cute and must be really delicious filled with all that nutella cream. And they seem quite uncomplicated to make, which is always a plus. Thank you for bringing these dessert bites to #CookBlogShare:)
Cat says
They definitely weren’t very hard to make, apart from the piping which is why we have some slightly strange shapes haha x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
Wow they look so decadent and indulgent! Thanks for linking up to #TreatPetite
Cat says
They were also very messy to eat!x
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Ohh choux pastry with Nutella. Yes, please they look great
Cat says
I’m glad you share my love for Nutella 🙂 x
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery says
Oooh yum! great flavours too! xxx
Cat says
Thanks 🙂 x
Chloe Edges says
Looks gorgeous, I always forget how fun choux is to make and I love the idea of a nutella topping!
Curly says
Thank you so much 🙂
Helen - Cooking with my kids says
I love pastry in all forms, including choux pastry – add Nutella to them is genius!
Michelle Rolfe says
Oh hello!! I love choux pastry – gluten free too means everyone can enjoy! They are gorgeous and the photos are stunning! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle x
Curly says
Yes! And I’ve made them for non gluten free people and they haven’t been able to tell which is a major plus. Thank you so much x
Rebecca - Glutarama says
These are so pretty, what a lovely treat, I will certainly be making these as my kids both love profiteroles and eclairs so I KNOW these will go down a storm.