Nancy Drew Hannahs Cheese Puffs Recipes

BASIC CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the butter, salt and water in a pan. Bring to a boil.
• Sift the flour onto a sheet of waxed paper, then, off the heat, add it all to the butter and water mixture and stir it in very quickly to form a thick paste that leaves the sides of the pan clean.
• Return the pan to the heat and beat the mixture with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to dry it. Remove the pan from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, then add the mustard, cayenne pepper and grated cheese. (I didn't have dry mustard so I used 1 teaspoon grainy, brown mustard. I also used a dash more cayenne for an extra bite.).
• Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve cold.

AUNT NANCY'S CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine cream cheese, onion, and egg yolks in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until blended. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on bread and lightly sprinkle with paprika. Place on baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese puffs start to slightly brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

CHEESY PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk and heat until small bubbles start to form around the edges. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is smooth and glossy and a dough ball forms. (The dough should start to pull away from the edges of the pan.)
• Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix in 5 of the eggs, one at a time, on medium speed until completely combined. Stir in the salt, pepper and 3/4 cup of the Gruyere.
• Spoon large tablespoons of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each puff. Whisk the remaining egg and use it to brush the tops of the puffs. Sprinkle over the remaining 1/4 cup Gruyere.
• Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat, without boiling, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan: 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• When the butter has melted, stir in, all at once: 1/2 cup flour.
• Keep stirring vigorously until the mixture coheres and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Keep stirring for another minute over the heat, then transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. (Stirring will speed up the cooling process.)
• Beat in, one at a time: 2 eggs.
• Beat in the first egg thoroughly before adding the next. Stir in: 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup).
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (not necessary, but it makes cleanup easier). Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets in spoonfuls either 1 or 2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches apart. You can also pipe out the puffs with a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip.
• Bake undisturbed for 10 minutes, at 400°F. Lower the temperature to 375°F and bake for 15 minutes more. The puffs should be golden brown and crisp on the outside. With a sharp pointed knife, pierce each warm puff with a small slit to let out the steam, which helps them stay crisp. Serve right away. The puffs can be recrisped and reheated in a 375°F oven for 3 minutes.
• Variation
• In place of the cheese, use 2 or 3 salt-packed anchovies, soaked, filleted, and chopped.

CHIVE AND CHEDDAR CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• 1. Arrange one oven rack in the top third of the oven and the other in the bottom third. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 2. In a large saucepan, heat the milk, water, butter, salt, and cayenne over medium heat to a simmer, stirring to melt the butter. Turn off the heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until smooth and a thin film of dough sticks to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl.
• 3. Using an electric mixer, beat the dough on low speed for 1 minute to cool it down. Raise the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each addition. Continue beating, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until the batter is shiny, smooth, and elastic. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the cheese and chives.
• 4. Drop the batter by teaspoons onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the mounds 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes, switch the positions of the baking sheets, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes longer or until golden brown, domed, and firm to the touch. Serve warm.

NANCY DREW HANNAH'S CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Make 4 cheese sandwiches and lay in bottom of greased pan.
• Beat together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and mustard.
• Pour over sandwiches.
• Let sit until all liquid is absorbed.
• Bake at 350F 30-40 min.until brown and puffy.