Thymegougeres Recipes

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.

HICKORY-BACON AND ROASTED-CORN GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
• Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp. Drain on paper towels, then finely chop.
• Pour off fat from skillet, then wipe clean. Add corn and pan-roast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until kernels are mostly golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Bring water to a boil with butter and salt in a heavy medium saucepan, stirring until butter is melted. Add flour all at once and cook over medium heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. (Batter will appear to separate at first but will then become smooth.) Mixture should be glossy and just stiff enough to hold soft peaks and fall softly from a spoon. If batter is too stiff, beat remaining egg in a small bowl and add to batter 1 teaspoon at a time, beating and then testing batter until it reaches proper consistency.
• Stir in bacon, corn, cheeses, chives, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly butter sheets. Fill a pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain tip with batter and pipe about 35 (3/4-inch-diameter) mounds, or spoon mounded teaspoons, 1/4 inch apart, onto each sheet. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until puffed, golden, and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes total. Transfer to a rack (still on parchment if using). Make more puffs on cooled baking sheets. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GOUGERES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 400. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, milk, butter, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the flour, and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes dry, about 1 minute.
• Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, add the cheese, and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 1 minute Add the eggs one at a time. Continue to mix on medium/high speed until the dough is smooth and shiny, 1-2 minute.
• Spoon the dough into a large resealable plastic bag and seal it shut. Cut a 1/4 inch diagonal slice from one corner of the bag; squeeze the dough through that hole and into 1 inch rounds on the baking sheet, leaving 1 inch space between each gougere. Smooth any peaks by dipping your finger in water and very gently rubbing the top of each piped round.
• Transfer the backing sheet to oven. After 10 min, rotate the baking sheet and reduce oven temperature to 350. Continue to bake until gougeres are golden brown, about 15 min more. Remove gougeres from oven, transfer to a serving platter or basket, and serve immediately.
• Left overs can be reheated by placing them in a 400 degree oven for 2 minute.

THYME GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees 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 the bottom and sides of pan about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup Gruyere, 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 inch tip or a plastic bag with a 1/2 inch cut diagonally from 1 corner. Pipe dough onto prepared baking sheets in 1 - 1 1/4 inch rounds, spacing 1 inch apart. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Brush egg wash lightly over rounds, patting down to form rounded tops. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons Gruyere. Garnish each with a few thyme leaves.
• Bake gougeres until puffed and golden brown and centers are cooked through but still moist, 20 - 25 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.