Gougères
gruyère and black pepper, and cheese straw (cheddar cayenne)
These little cheese puffs are perfect with champagne or for a cocktail party, so i’m rolling them out ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations. I like this simple, classic version with gruyère cheese you can play around with your favorite combination of cheese, pepper and/ or herbs. The cheese straw variation is a play on a classic southern cocktail snack.
The dough is a pâte à choux, which is the same technique as the profiteroles I posted a few weeks ago.
These are great reheated in the oven for a few minutes, so keep a bag in the freezer for last minute guests.
INGREDIENTS:
GOUGERE:
1 1 /4 cups water
1 ¼ sticks ( 5 ounces) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 cup gruyere cheese( compte, parmesan, or sharp cheddar could be substituted)
½ tsp black pepper
OPTIONAL:
2 teaspoon finely chopped herbs- thyme or rosemary
TOPPING:
1 egg
2 teaspoons water
½ cup grated cheese
Equipment:
cheese grater
medium pot
large spoon or spatula
measuring cups and spoons
stand or hand mixer
sheet pan with parchment
piping bag with large round tip
pastry brush
YIELD: 20-25 medium sized gougeres
TIME: 1 hour
TO MAKE:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grate the cheese.
In a medium sized pot, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil. Add the flour and stir for
2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes dry and pulls away from the sides of the pans
cleanly.
Immediately transfer to the mixing bowl and turn the mixer on medium. Add the eggs
one at a time, mixing in well. Mix in 1 cup of the grated cheese and the pepper. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a large round tip. Pipe rounds of the mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet. Leave a little space between each, as they will expand in the oven slightly.
Topping:
Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush lightly brush each gougere with the egg wash. Top each puff with a pinch of the remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve immediately or reheat for 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees. May be frozen and reheated.
