GougÈres With Bacon Garlic And Thyme Recipes

BACON GOUGERES

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup water, 1 sliced stick butter and 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup flour, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the mixture pulls away from the pan and looks shiny, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a stand mixer; beat in 4 eggs, one at a time, on medium speed until smooth. Stir in 6 finely chopped cooked thick-cut bacon slices, 3/4 cup grated smoked gouda and 2 tablespoons chopped chives. Transfer to a piping bag; snip off the end. Pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with more gouda.
• Bake at 400˚ F, until the gougeres are puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan after 20 minutes.

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.

THYME GOUGèRES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring butter and 1 cup water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. Remove from heat. Add flour, cayenne, and salt; stir vigorously to blend. Return to heat; stir vigorously over medium heat until mixture forms a ball and a thin, dry film forms on bottom and sides of pan, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup Gruyère, Asiago, and 2 teaspoons thyme; beat on low speed to blend. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each egg between additions, and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip or a plastic bag with 1/2" cut diagonally from 1 corner. Pipe dough onto prepared baking sheets in 1"-1 1/4" rounds, spacing 1" apart. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush egg wash lightly over rounds, patting down to form rounded tops. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons Gruyère. Garnish each with a few thyme leaves.
• Bake gougères until puffed and golden brown and centers are cooked through but still moist, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Let cool completely. Store airtight in freezer. Rewarm in 325°F oven until hot, 10-15 minutes.

GOUGèRES WITH PANCETTA AND SAGE

Steps:

• Put pancetta in a large skillet and place over medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring, until fat is rendered and meat is well browned and crispy all over, 12 to 17 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Sprinkle sage into the hot fat in the skillet and cook until crisp, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate with pancetta. When cool, finely chop pancetta and sage together.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Have ready an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a sturdy mixing spoon).
• In a 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 forms a mass and pulls away from the sides of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. The dough will be quite stiff.
• Scrape into the mixer and beat until cooled slightly, about 30 seconds. Add one egg at a time, letting it fully incorporate before adding the next. (If you don't have a mixer, you can do this by mixing dough vigorously with a sturdy spoon.)
• When eggs are incorporated, add Gruyère and continue to beat until it is mostly melted into batter, then add pancetta and sage and mix until combined.
• Transfer batter to a large resealable plastic bag, and snip off 3/4-inch from one corner, or use a pastry bag. Pipe into balls, about 2 teaspoons each, leaving 1 inch of space between them. (Or, use a spoon to form the balls and drop onto baking sheets.)
• Sprinkle Parmesan on top, and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and continue to bake until golden and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes more. Serve immediately, while still warm.

GOUGÈRES WITH BACON, GARLIC, AND THYME

Steps:

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