Gougere Cheese Pastry Recipes

GOUGèRES (FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS)

Steps:

• Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Bring the milk, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, immediately start stirring energetically. The dough will form into a ball and there will be a light film on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring for another two minutes or so to dry the dough: Dry dough will make puffier puffs.
• Turn the dough out into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or work by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon and elbow grease). Let the dough sit for a minute to cool, then add the eggs one by one, followed by the white, beating on medium speed until each one is incorporated before adding the next. The dough may look as though it's separating or falling apart -- just keep going, and by the time the egg white goes in, the dough will be smooth. Beat in the mustard, followed by the cheese. Give the dough a last mix-through by hand.
• Scoop or spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough (I use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop), and drop the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the mounds. (The scooped dough can be frozen on the baking sheets.)
• Slide the baking sheets into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375°F. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Continue baking until the gougères are puffed, golden, and firm enough to pick up, another 15 to 17 minutes. Serve immediately -- these are best directly from the oven. Storing: Although the puffs are best served hot out of the oven, they are still nice (although flatter) at room temperature that same day. If you want to keep baked puffs longer, freeze them and then reheat in a 350°F-oven for a few minutes.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer Instructions: Scoop the dough and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then pack them in an airtight container. You can bake them straight from the freezer; just give them a few more minutes in the oven.
• Note/Variation: Dorie adds ⅔ cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and chopped, to these gougères. My family prefers them without nuts but it's a nice variation to try. Add them along with the cheese.

GOUGèRES (CHOUX PASTRY CHEESE PUFFS) RECIPE

Steps:

• In a 3-quart stainless-steel saucier or saucepan, combine water (or milk), butter, and salt.
• Set over high and and cook until liquid comes to a rolling boil and butter has fully melted, about 2 minutes (the small butter cubes should be fully melted just about at the same time the liquid hits a strong boil).
• Remove from heat and add flour. Using a wooden spoon or stiff silicone spatula, thoroughly mix in flour until no lumps remain (make sure to hunt down and smash out any stubborn ones).
• Return saucepan to medium-high heat and cook, stirring very frequently, until dough registers 175°F (80°C) on an instant-read thermometer; if you don't have a thermometer, other signs the dough is ready include a thin starchy film forming all over the inside of the saucier and the dough pulling together into a cohesive mass.
• To use a stand mixer: Transfer dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until dough registers 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer (you need the dough cool enough that it doesn't cook the eggs when they're added).
• Add eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully beaten into the dough before adding the next; it can help to start the mixer at medium-low speed for the first egg and then increase the speed to medium once the choux batter begins to develop.
• Scrape down sides of mixer bowl, then add cheese, nutmeg, and black pepper. Mix at medium speed just until cheese and seasonings are fully incorporated, about 10 seconds.
• To finish dough by hand: Let dough cool in saucepan, stirring frequently, until it registers 145°F (63°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Add eggs 1 at a time, stirring well between additions until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next, until a smooth, shiny paste forms. Mix in cheese, nutmeg, and black pepper until well combined.
• Scrape gougères batter into a pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch pastry tip. At this point, the gougères batter can be held in the sealed pastry bag at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
• To Bake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. If desired, pipe a dab of gougères batter under each of the 4 corners of the parchment to secure it in place.
• Pipe gougères batter onto parchment paper in 1 1/2-inch mounds. You should have enough batter to pipe 20 gougères.
• Using a moistened finger, gently press down any pointy tips on the mounds to smooth them out.
• Using a pastry brush, gently brush a light layer of egg wash on each mound, being careful not to let excess egg wash drip down onto the parchment. Alternatively, spray mounds lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• Sprinkle a pinch of grated Gruyere on top of each mound, pushing down very gently to ensure it adheres to the surface.
• Bake until gougères are puffed, deeply golden brown, and feel hollow when lifted, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn off oven, crack the door open, and let stand for 30 minutes to dry and fully set the crust.
• Gougères are best served while still warm; if they cool down too much before serving, briefly reheat in a 350°F (177°C) oven before serving.

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.

CLASSIC GOUGèRES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees, and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water, butter, salt and cayenne to a boil. Stir in flour all at once and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until dough pulls away from the sides of the pot, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Scrape dough into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with a paddle until cooled slightly, about 30 seconds. (Or you can do this with a wooden spoon if you beat vigorously.) Add one egg at a time, letting each one incorporate before adding the next. Mix in Gruyère and continue to beat until it is mostly melted into batter.
• Transfer batter to a large, sealable plastic bag, and snip off 3/4 inch from one corner. Pipe 2-teaspoon-sized balls, spaced 1-inch apart, onto baking sheets. Or use a spoon to form the balls. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly then serve immediately.

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.

GOUGERE (CHEESE PASTRY)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Bring water to boil in deep saucepan and drop in butter. When butter has melted, remove pot from heat and add flour immediately. Stir with wooden spoon until soft ball forms.
• Put pot back over medium heat to dry out paste. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Thin crust will form on bottom of pot; do not scrape it up. After 4 or 5 minutes dough should not stick to fingers when pinched. Remove from heat.
• Add eggs, one by one, incorporating each thoroughly. Sprinkle in all but 2 tablespoons of cheese.
• Butter a cake mold with center tube or a regular cake pan. Using large soup spoon, remove pieces of dough and, using another spoon, drop around rim of dish. Small space should remain in between each for expansion. Sprinkle remaining cheese over dough. Bake 30 minutes.

GOUGERES (FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Heat water, butter, salt, and chili powder in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the butter is melted.
• Dump in flour all at once and stir vigorously until the mixture pulls away from the sides into a smooth ball. Remove from heat and let rest for 2 minutes, to cool it down a bit. At this point, you can scrape the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. If you don't have a mixer, let it cool in the pan, stirring it a few times to let the heat escape.
• Add eggs, one at a time, stirring quickly to make sure the eggs don't cook. The batter will first appear lumpy, but after 1 minute or so, it will smooth out. After the eggs have been added, let cool until tepid.
• When the dough has cooled, stir in a generous 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese until well mixed. (If dough is not cool, the cheese will melt.)
• Scrape the dough into a pastry bag fitted with a wide, plain tip. Pipe into mounds, evenly spaced apart, making each about the size of a small cherry tomato. Top each puff with a bit of the remaining cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Continue to bake until completely golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

GOUGèRES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
• Place milk, butter, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook until butter has melted and mixture comes to a boil. Add flour; stir constantly until mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on medium speed, add 5 eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mixture will be thick, smooth, and shiny. Stir in cheese, pepper, and thyme.
• Using a large spoon, form rounds about 3 inches wide and 1 inch high on prepared baking sheet, spacing each about 2 inches apart. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and pinch of salt. Brush each pastry round with egg mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
• Transfer baking sheet to oven and bake until puffed, golden brown, and light for their size, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove pastries from oven and poke a small hole in the top of each to allow steam to release. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.