Gougères
Gougères, the much-loved French cheese puff that must be tried.
Gougères are delicious French cheese puffs made using pâte àchoux dough (the same dough used to make cream puffs) mixed with a generous amount of grated cheese.
Typically, the cheese used in gougères is Gruyère, Emmenthal, or similar varieties; however, my selection for this recipe, sharp or old fort cheddar, is just as acceptable when preparing these for a distinctly un-French crowd.
Gougères are suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians. I have not attempted to make these gluten-free yet, but if I do, I'll be sure to share my results.
They make lovely hors d’oeuvres along with a glass of white wine, Champagne, or my favourite, a sparkling fruit wine. Serve them either warm, right out of the oven, or at room temperature. Either way they are scrumptious.
TIP: The dough balls can be frozen and stored for future baking. Scoop dough onto a lined sheet pan and freeze until solid. Store in a resealable silicone bag, or airtight container. Bake directly from the freezer, adding an extra minute or two while baking. Baked gougères can also be stored for about a day on the countertop, or frozen in a resealable silicone bag and reheated by baking for a few minutes at 375°F / 190°C.
Ingredients
(Makes 36 servings)
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature
1, 2/3 cups sharp cheddar, grated
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F / 220°C, adjust oven racks so they are equally spaced apart, and line two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone liners.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, add the milk, butter, and salt then bring to a boil stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add all the flour, and whisk vigorously until the dough starts to form. Switch to a spatula and continue mixing until the dough becomes smooth. Transfer the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and let sit for a few minutes.
With the mixer set on medium speed, add one egg at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Continue to mix for several more minutes until the dough becomes thick and glossy then begin mixing in the cheese. When fully combined, turn off the mixer and begin immediately scooping the dough into balls using a large cookie scoop. Place each ball of dough onto the sheet pans leaving a few inches between for expansion while baking. Should make roughly 36 gougères.
Place the sheet pans into the oven and reduce the temperature to 375°F / 190°C. Bake for 15 minutes then turn the pans 180° and swap the placement of the pans with the top sheet pan moving to the bottom rack and bottom to the top. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and either serve warm, or if storing, transfer to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 64 | total fat = 4.7g | saturated fat = 2.8g | cholesterol = 38.42mg | sodium = 74.89mg | net carbohydrates = 2.97g | dietary fibre = 0.06g | sugars = 0.34g | protein = 2.39g
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