Croquembouche For the pâte à choux: Heat oven to 425°. Bring butter, salt, and 1 1⁄ 2 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over high heat. Remove pan from heat, add flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until mixture forms a thick dough and pulls away from sides of pan, about 2 minutes.