The French apéro (apéritif) is a pre-dinner drink that is usually served with finger food that can encompass everything from olives and cured ham to elaborate bite-sized snacks. Serious stuff. The star of any pre-dinner drinks, however, is the gougère, the French cheese puff. Light and fluffy with a delicious cheese flavor, it feels warm and welcoming. It’s also the perfect accompaniment to a champagne or wine tasting. They originated in the Burgundy region where, as one would suspect, some of the world’s best wines have been made for centuries.
Gougère – Cheese Puffs
This is a classic gougère recipe. The added dash of nutmeg can easily put an unsuspecting eater into fluffy cheese heaven. The recipe is deceptively simple and, even better, it’s not critical for the puffs to be symmetrical in order to blow your fans away!
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Servings: 8 people
Equipment
- Pastry bag with ½-inch tip
- 2 baking trays lined with parchment paper
- Large bowl, wooden spoon, whisk
- Medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Water
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 4 oz. Unsalted European butter Room temperature
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper optional
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour
- 4 large Eggs Room temperature
- 7 oz. Shredded Gruyere cheese Emmenthaler or parmesan OK. Put 1 oz to side.
- 1 pinch Fresh ground black pepper
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- 1 large Egg Yolk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, combine water, milk, butter, and milk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let cook for a few minutes. Slowly whisk in eggs. the mix in flour until a dough forms and sticks to pan, 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer dough into a pastry bag with 1/2 inch tip. Pipe walnut-sized dollops onto baking sheets about 1-inch apart. Glaze with egg yolk and sprinkle remaining cheese over.
- Bake for 22-25 minutes until puffed, golden, and smell amazing. Serve hot (best) or at room temperature.
Notes
- Can be frozen or refrigerated pre cooked and reheated in an oven until piping hot.
- When making Pate a Choux dough, make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next or they might scramble.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal
