GougÈres With Bacon Garlic And Thyme Recipes

CHEDDAR CHEESE GOUGERES WITH BACON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup water, the butter and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon; the mixture will form a dough ball that will pull away from the sides of the pan. Continue to cook for a couple minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. Stir so that the dough cools more evenly; you want the dough to be warm, but not so hot that when you start adding the eggs they cook as they hit the dough. In a mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon, add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until the eggs are incorporated. The dough should become rather creamy. Stir in the grated cheese, bacon, thyme and a few grinds of pepper.
• Spoon out small balls (about a heaping tablespoon) of the dough onto the baking sheet, with at least an inch separating the spoonfuls. Cook for 10 minutes; lower the heat to 350 degrees F and cook until puffed up and lightly golden, another 15 to 20 minutes.

BACON, GARLIC AND THYME GOUGERES

Steps:

• Beat eggs and egg white in measuring cup or small bowl; you should have 1/2 cup (discard excess). Set aside. Fry minced bacon over medium heat until almost crisp, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain mixture through small strainer, reserving 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Set aside. Bring water, butter, bacon fat, milk, and salt to boil in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring once or twice. When mixture reaches full boil, immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir in flour until combined. Return saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly shiny, about 3 minutes (paste should register 175 to 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer). Immediately transfer mixture to food processor and process with feed tube open for 10 seconds to cool slightly. With machine running, gradually add eggs in a steady stream. When all eggs have been added, scrape down sides of bowl and add Gruyère and cayenne to food processor. Process for 30 seconds until a smooth, thick, sticky paste forms. Pulse bacon-garlic mixture and thyme into batter until mixed. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper; set sheet aside. Fill a large pastry bag with paste. Twist top of bag and pipe paste onto prepared baking sheet into 16 evenly spaced 2-inch mounds. Use back of teaspoon dipped in bowl of cold water to even out shape and smooth surface of piped mounds. Bake 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until golden brown and fairly firm, 12 to 14 minutes longer. Remove baking sheet from oven. With paring knife, cut 3/4-inch slit into side of each puff to release steam; return to oven, turn off oven, and prop oven door open with handle of wooden spoon. After 10 minutes, transfer puffs to wire rack. Serve warm.

GOUGÈRES WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND THYME

Steps:

• See Cooks Illustrated. Instructions too long to fit here.