Traditional Gougeres Recipes

GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a large heavy saucepan, bring first 4 ingredients to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; add flour all at once and beat until blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring vigorously until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 3 minutes., Transfer to a large bowl; beat 1 minute to cool slightly. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Continue beating until shiny. Beat in cheese, chives and nutmeg. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets., For topping, whisk together egg and water; brush lightly over tops. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until puffed, firm and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm. , Freeze option: Freeze unbaked puffs on parchment-lined baking sheets until firm; transfer to resealable freezer bags and return to freezer. To use, place frozen puffs on parchment-lined baking sheets. Top and bake as directed, increasing time by 2-3 minutes.

TRADITIONAL GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the center. Line two unrimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats (nonstick French baking mats).
• Make Pate a Choux batter; add cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg at the end. (If too stiff, add teaspoonfuls of water until the proper consistency is reached.) Fill a pastry bag fitted with filling tip (Ateco #804); pipe 3/4-inch rounds that are about 1/2 inch high (about the size of gumdrops) onto baking sheets at 2-inch intervals. Use your finger to gently coat entire top with egg wash, being careful not to let it drip onto the surrounding baking sheet (it will inhibit rising). Sprinkle with grated cheese.
• Cover one baking sheet with lightly oiled plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator. Transfer the other to the oven. Bake 10 minutes; reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Bake 15 minutes more, until golden brown. Turn off oven; prop door open slightly to let steam escape. Allow gougeres to dry in the oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Raise heat back to 425 degrees. Repeat process for remaining batch. Serve warm.

GOUGèRES (FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Position 2 racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, bring water, butter, and salt to a rolling boil. Once the butter has melted, add the flour.
• Stir the mixture until a sticky dough ball forms and begins pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 1 minute.
• Reduce heat to low heat and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture begins to dry out a bit, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
• Beat the eggs into the flour mixture, one at a time, until fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Mix in the cheeses, nutmeg, and pepper.
• Place heaping teaspoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets leaving one inch of room between each. Alternatively, use a pastry bag and a round tip to pipe the dough, or just snip the bottom of the bag and pipe.
• Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the gougères are golden brown and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHEESE PUFFS (GOUGERES)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup water with the milk, butter, sugar and salt and stir over low heat until the sugar, butter and salt have melted. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a healthy simmer.
• Take from the heat and immediately add the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, is smooth and no flour lumps remain. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, until a film forms on the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring, careful not to scrape up the film, for a minute or two more.
• Transfer the mixture (panade) to a food processor. Mix for a minute to dissipate the heat. Add the eggs one at a time with the processor running. Pay attention to the consistency of the paste. It should be smooth and shiny, so you may only need 3 of the eggs. Stir in the cheese.
• Using a small cookie scoop, scoop generous mounds onto the parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them an inch apart. Place in the oven, immediately reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheese puffs are golden brown.

GOUGèRES

Steps:

• Place water, salt and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Turn off heat and add the flour to the boiling water/butter, then mix with a wooden spoon so the starch absorbs the water. Place back on the stove, turn the heat on and cook until the dough doesn't stick to the pot any more, 1-2 minutes. Place the Gruyère in the bowl of a stand mixer and place the hot dough on top. Beat on low speed to melt the cheese and combine the ingredients. Add one egg at a time until fully incorporated. Add 15 turns of black pepper and mix again. The dough will have a nice "peak" when it's finished. Chill dough overnight in a bowl with plastic wrap directly covering the dough.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper that's been sprayed in the corners to secure it. Place chilled dough in a piping bag and pipe about 1 teaspoon onto the baking sheet by starting in the middle and pushing, then making a quick turn to stop the excess. Continue until the baking sheet is filled with gougères, making sure they're 1 inch apart. Finish with a few grinds of black pepper, then lightly spray with water, which will help with the cooking process. Bake until gougères are light and feel hollow, 20 minutes.
• Remove gougères from the oven. (Optional: enjoy with a glass of champagne!)

GOUGèRES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 1/2 cup water, the butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove from heat, and stir in flour with a wooden spoon. Return pan to medium heat, and cook, stirring, until mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a film on bottom, about 4 minutes.
• Transfer batter to a bowl, and beat with a mixer on low speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Beat 1 minute more. Batter should be shiny and form a string when pulled up with a finger; if string doesn't form, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it does. Stir in Parmesan.
• Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe about 30 mounds (1 inch in diameter) 1 inch apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg yolk, and sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon Gruyere.
• Bake until gougeres are puffed and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out dry, 20 to 25 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.