Gougères

I have wanted to try making gougères for what is starting to seem like forever. As they are dangerous items to have around, I needed a crowd to share them with! When we were asked to bring an appetizer to a friend’s birthday party, I finally had my chance.

Of course, the next issue was selecting a version to try. There was a cheese-topped choux pastry from Food and Wine, a version incorporating milk and less cheese from Ina Garten, or this super-cheesy version adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Mimi Thorisson. My description reveals how my final decision was made. 😉

Elegant and addictive.

Yield: about 50-60 cheese puffs

• 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 6 ounces (about 1½ cups) grated Comté cheese or Gruyère
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large egg yolk

1. Preheat oven to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Bring butter, salt, nutmeg, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until butter is melted.
3. Remove from heat, add flour, and stir to combine.
4. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 2 minutes.
5. Continue to cook, stirring vigorously, until a dry film forms on bottom and sides of pan and dough is no longer sticky, about 2 minutes longer.
6. Remove pan from heat and let dough cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
7. Mix in whole eggs one at a time, incorporating fully between additions.
8. Mix in cheese and pepper.
9. Scrape dough into a piping bag fitted with a ½” round tip (#1A) (alternatively, use a plastic bag with a ½” opening cut diagonally from 1 corner). Pipe 1” rounds about 2” apart onto 2 to 3 parchment-lined baking sheets, as needed.
10. Whisk egg yolk and 1 tsp water in a small bowl; brush rounds with egg wash.
11. Bake gougères until puffed and golden and dry in the center (they should sound hollow when tapped), 20–25 minutes.

Note: Dough can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Make Ahead: Gougères can be baked 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature; reheat before serving. Alternatively, the baked choux can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; recrisp in a 325° oven for 10 minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Leek & Gruyère Tart with Prosciutto

Two Years Ago:

• Caramelized Onion Dip

Three Years Ago:

• Cranberry Margarita
• Buckwheat Crepes with Mix & Match Creamy Mushroom, Caramelized Sweet Onion, Sautéed Greens, & Citrus Shrimp Fillings
• My Dad’s Breakfast Crepes

Four Years Ago:

• Popovers

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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