Making gougères

Gougères are essentially cheesy cream puffs shells, made from a classic pâte à choux dough to which shredded cheese and other flavorings have been added. I've included a recipe below, even though one isn't really necessary. What's important is to keep the proportions of the main ingredients consistent - you can alter things like the cheese you use and the spices - my preference is for black pepper, but many people use something with more scovilles. I don't think the melted butter at the end is standard, but I think it adds a lush, salty element that enhances the overall flavor.

Gougères
3/4 cups of milk
3/4 cups of water
6 oz (1.5 sticks) of butter, cut up
salt (don't know how much - you have to add and taste 'til it's right)
1.5 cups of flour
6 eggs
6 oz of shredded gruyere
black pepper (I like a lot)
nutmeg (not too much)
melted, lightly salted butter that's still warm

Cook the first 4 ingredients until the butter is melted. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt now if necessary, as this is the last time you can do it effectively. Bring the liquid to a boil, then dump in the flour and lower the heat. Stir constantly and vigorously until the dough comes together and pulls away from the pan easily. Dump it into a bowl.

Milk, water, butter and salt cooking:


Dough (pre-eggs) transferred to a bowl:


At this point, most modern cooks probably turn to the stand mixer with paddle attachment. Not me. I don't get enough exercise as it is, so when it comes to pasta making or pate a choux forming, I'm not passing up the opportunity to strengthen my arms and expel some frustration on a mound of wet flour. So I add the eggs by hand. They must be added one at a time, and beaten (I use a hefty wooden spoon) like a naughty nr706 over G Wiv's lap after drinks on a Friday night, until each egg is fully incorporated. Along the way, the mix will look like vomit (which you may have on hand now after picturing the image described above), but - rest assured - it will come together and end up smooth and shiny. Then you can add in most of your cheese (save some for sprinkling) and the spices, beating vigorously again.

Dough, after eggs have been incorporated:


I then scoop this dough into a big ziploc freezer bag, snip the corner, and pipe small mounds onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. These go into a 400 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes (check them early and rotate the pan if they're not browning evenly). The above recipe made 35-40 gougères.

Gougères, ready for the oven:


Gougères, cooling on a rack:


At this point, I like to take a pastry brush and lovingly bathe the gougères with warm, melted butter and an extra tiny sprinkle of fleur de sel. Well made gougères have what I love most about good pastry: airily light texture that belies the rich, lush, and buttery flavor.

Looking good Kenny.

I like to make them with a nice sharp cheddar. Bury a cooked lardon of good quality bacon in the dough before baking.

Crimeny! Maybe in the summer when I can walk them off....(yum!)

Evil Ronnie wrote:Looking good Kenny.

I like to make them with a nice sharp cheddar. Bury a cooked lardon of good quality bacon in the dough before baking.

That doesn't sounds bad at all. In fact, we had some crispy pancetta bits lying around while the gougères were out, and at least one person poked a hole in his, so that he could stuff it with the pancetta. He seemed quite happy.

Kennyz wrote: Well made gougeres have what I love most about good pastry: airily light texture that belies the rich, lush, and buttery flavor.

Gorgeous Gougeres!

Sounds like a professional wrestler, and a tasty one at that.

I just made a recipe for chocolate eclairs, but although the choux puffed, they didn't puff enough to slice in half and fill. They're sitting in an off oven as we speak to dry. Do you think I can top them with the whipped ganache instead or will the puffs never have a decent texture inside?

Very nice Kenny - I think gougeres are always a perfect start to a cocktail/dinner party. I too am partial to the standard gruyere (and mixing by hand), though I must admit butter would be over the top to me (but not a few flecks of good sea salt).

Pie Lady wrote:I just made a recipe for chocolate eclairs, but although the choux puffed, they didn't puff enough to slice in half and fill. They're sitting in an off oven as we speak to dry. Do you think I can top them with the whipped ganache instead or will the puffs never have a decent texture inside?

Sounds like you under baked them.

Maybe so. I turned the oven back on this morning, and had they puffed, I think they would have dried out nicely inside (I sliced one of the higher ones).

Pie Lady wrote:I just made a recipe for chocolate eclairs, but although the choux puffed, they didn't puff enough to slice in half and fill. They're sitting in an off oven as we speak to dry. Do you think I can top them with the whipped ganache instead or will the puffs never have a decent texture inside?

This is my go-to recipe for pate a choux / eclairs:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/62046966/Perfect-Choux

Using a fluted 869 tip is key. The grooves on the surface allow the paste to expand more than using a plain tip.

kanin wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:I just made a recipe for chocolate eclairs, but although the choux puffed, they didn't puff enough to slice in half and fill. They're sitting in an off oven as we speak to dry. Do you think I can top them with the whipped ganache instead or will the puffs never have a decent texture inside?

This is my go-to recipe for pate a choux / eclairs:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/62046966/Perfect-Choux

Using a fluted 869 tip is key. The grooves on the surface allow the paste to expand more than using a plain tip.

Fluted tip...open tip...no tip at all, just a pastry bag...makes no difference whatsoever! They have to be completely cooked to the point that when you tap on a puff...they sound hollow. Then turn down the temperature in order to completely dry them out in a low oven.

I've tried this method (for sweet versions such a profiteroles or eclairs) and it does seem to help increase the puffiness. Chef Eddy suggests that, "The choux paste rises better since the steam is better contained within" and offers a couple other pointers about getting a good puff

ChefEddy.com
http://www.chefeddy.com/2012/01/pate-a-choux-with-streusel/


The Laduree: The Sweets Recipes cookbook also offers a version.
http://www.amazon.com/Laduree-Sweet-Recipes-Philippe-Andrieu/dp/281230443X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329316373&sr=8-2