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Gougeres

Pâte à Choux - is the fancy name for a classic pastry that can be part of a dessert - or in this case - a savory treat. When you add cheese to the choux pastry base and make the puffs, they get an even fancier name - Gougeres. These bite-sized savory puffs are a perfect complement to an appetizer platter and the cocktail hour. I like to open the puff and stuff it with a small piece of cheese, salami, and a pitted olive for the perfect two-bite cocktail hour snack.
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Ingredients
  

  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 oz gruyere cheese, grated
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Combine the water, cubed butter, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and then add the flour all at once, and stir vigorously with a rubber spatula to incorporate. The mixture will be shaggy at first, and as you stir, it will start to come together and create a solid mass that rolls around the pan.
  • Transfer the cooked flour and butter mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment, add the eggs, one at a time, with the mixer on low speed. The mixture will look very “broken” as you start to mix in each egg - but fear not. Gradually increase the speed of the mixer to incorporate each egg before adding the next. Then add the cheese and beat on high speed for approximately 1 minute until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
  • On an ungreased cookie sheet, drop tablespoons of dough about 1 inch apart - making about 20 to 25 puffs. (You can use a piping bag with a large round tip to pipe the choux dough onto the baking tray.) Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt.
  • Bake for 12 minutes.   Reduce the oven to 375 degrees and cook for approximately 20 - 25 additional minutes.  The puffs should be golden, and all surface moisture beads should have evaporated.   Undercooked puffs will collapse out of the oven.  If that happens, don’t despair.  They are still delicious, just not as crisp.   
  • Using a sharp spatula, place each puff onto a wire cooling rack.   They can be served immediately or cooled, frozen, and rewarmed at 350 degrees for 10 minutes just before serving.
     

Notes

You can add other elements such as some fresh or dried thyme and alter the cheese - as long as it is a bold, low moisture cheese such as Comté, Emmentaler, Parmigiano Reggiano, or Pecorino Romano.