Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Choux Pastry
- 60 ml water
- 60 ml whole milk
- 50 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 75 g plain flour, sifted
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten at room temperature
- 2 g fine sea salt
Smoked Mackerel Pate
- 200 g smoked mackerel fillets, skinless, boneless, and flaked
- 150 g full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 50 g creme fraiche
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 15 g creamed horseradish
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Garnish
- 100 g red onion chutney
- 5 g fresh dill, picked into small fronds
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 95 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- 5 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 164 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 28 mg
- Potassium
- 64 mg
- Calcium
- 19 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 5 mg
- Phosphorus
- 46 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.05 mg
- Niacin
- 0.1 mg
- Folate
- 5 mcg
- Water
- 15 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, cubed butter, and sea salt. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a rolling boil, ensuring the butter is completely melted by the time the liquid boils.
Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately. Dump the sifted flour in all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Return the pan to low heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to dry the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and leaves a thin film on the bottom.
Transfer the hot dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and let it cool for 5 minutes. Beat in the lightly beaten eggs gradually on medium speed. Wait for each addition to be fully incorporated before adding more. Stop adding egg when the dough becomes glossy and reluctantly falls from the beater in a V shape.
Transfer the finished choux dough into a piping bag. Pipe 24 evenly spaced mounds, each about the size of a whole walnut, onto the prepared baking sheet. Wet your finger with cold water and gently tap down any peaks on top of the mounds.
Bake in the preheated 200°C/400°F oven for 18 to 20 minutes until the buns are puffed, crisp, and deeply golden brown. Do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking.
Remove the choux buns from the oven. Immediately pierce the base or side of each bun with a skewer to allow trapped steam to escape. Transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
While the buns cool, flake the smoked mackerel fillets into a mixing bowl. Carefully check the flaked fish to ensure absolutely no pin bones or tough skin remain.
Add the softened cream cheese, creme fraiche, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped dill, creamed horseradish, and black pepper to the flaked mackerel. Mix vigorously until smooth and well combined, leaving just a slight texture from the fish. Transfer the pate to a clean piping bag.
Using a serrated knife, slice the top third off each cooled choux bun to create a lid. Pipe a generous rosette of mackerel pate into the base of each bun. Top the pate with a half teaspoon of red onion chutney, garnish with a small dill frond, and replace the choux lid slightly askew.
Chef's Notes
- The consistency of choux pastry relies heavily on the hydration level of your specific flour and the exact cooking time of the panada. Add the final portion of egg very gradually; you may not need it all, or you might need a splash extra.
- Prepare the smoked mackerel pate a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. This resting period allows the smoky, creamy, and citrus flavors to meld perfectly.
- To keep the canapes flawlessly crisp, do not assemble them until 30 to 60 minutes before your guests arrive. The moisture from the pate will eventually soften the delicate pastry.
- Use high-quality, traditionally oak-smoked mackerel for the best flavor profile, as it carries a profound depth that pairs beautifully with the tangy chutney.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store the pate and baked choux buns in separate airtight containers. Filled canapes will become soggy and do not keep.
Freezer: 1 month — Unfilled, baked choux buns can be frozen. Thaw at room temperature and crisp up in a warm oven for 5 minutes before filling.
Troubleshooting
Choux buns collapsed after baking
Cause: Removed from the oven too early or steam was trapped inside
Fix: If they are only slightly soft but fully cooked, return the pierced buns to a 150°C/300°F oven for 5 minutes to crisp before filling.
Prevention: Bake until deeply golden and firm to the touch. Always pierce the bottom of the buns immediately upon removing them from the oven.
Choux dough is too runny to pipe
Cause: Too much egg was added
Fix: Cannot be fixed by adding raw flour. You must make a half batch of the cooked panada (flour, water, butter) and beat it into the runny dough to thicken it.
Prevention: Add the beaten eggs gradually, judging the consistency of the dough rather than using the entire volume if not needed. The dough should hold its shape.
Cultural Context
Smoked mackerel pate is an enduring staple of British coastal cuisine, traditionally served simply alongside robust toast. By piping this rustic, intensely flavorful fish spread into delicate French choux pastry gougeres, a humble pub classic is elevated into a sophisticated hors d'oeuvre. The addition of sweet red onion chutney cuts through the richness of the oily fish, balancing the palate beautifully for modern entertaining.
