Gougeres, delicate and savory French cheese puffs, are a delightful treat that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack, or side dish. Made from a choux pastry dough and filled with a variety of cheeses, gougeres are light and airy, with a crisp exterior and a soft, chewy interior. This article features a collection of recipes that showcase the versatility of gougeres, offering both classic and creative variations to suit every taste. From traditional Gruyere and Parmesan cheese fillings to more adventurous options like goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, these recipes provide a range of flavors and textures that are sure to impress. Whether you're looking for a simple and elegant appetizer or a crowd-pleasing party snack, these gougeres recipes have something for every occasion.
Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!
FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS (GOUGERES)
Recipe video above. Fabulous light-as-air cheesy puffs that are crusty on the outside, hollow and soft on the inside. In France, they're served as nibbles with pre dinner drinks, as finger food at gatherings and for dunking into soups and stews! (How to pronounce Gougeres)
Provided by Nagi
Categories Appetizer
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan). Lightly grease 2 trays then line with parchment / baking paper.
- Place water, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil until butter is full melted.
- Remove from stove, add flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix until incorporated.
- Return to stove on LOW heat and mix for 1 minute (this dries the mixture out, see video for before/after).
- Remove from stove, leave for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 egg, mix vigorously until incorporated - batter splits at first, but it always comes together!
- Add 3 more eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated before adding the next. Good arm workout! (Or use electric beater)
- Stir in 2 cups cheese.
- Drop 1 tablespoon mounds onto trays (small cookie scoop is ideal, otherwise use a measuring tablespoon and a teaspoon to scrape out. Can make larger - good for dunking!)
- Brush with yolk, then top with a pinch of reserved Cheese for topping.
- Bake 25 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes so they become crusty and inside dries out a bit.
- Serve warm as pre dinner nibbles, finger food at gatherings, or dunk into soups and stews!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 102 kcal, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 4 g, Fat 7 g, SaturatedFat 4 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Sodium 197 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
GOUGERES WITH SAVORY MUSHROOM FILLING
Gougeres are savory cream puffs made with cheese in the dough and baked on top. Once puffed and cooled, fill them with this intensely flavored mushroom bechamel to make the perfect 2 bite party appetizer.
Provided by onlinepastrychef
Time 1h15m
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- Preheat your oven to 450F and set a rack in the middle. Be proud of yourself that you remembered to do this first.
- Bring the water, milk, salt, Herbes de Provence and butter to a boil.
- Dump in the flour all at once and cook over medium heat, stirring manically, until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes, pulls away from the sides of the pan and into a big clump and leaves a slight, dry film on the inside of the pan, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or prepare to stir madly awhile longer.
- Mix for a minute or so to cool off the dough, then add almost all the beaten egg (reserve about a Tablespoon) and mix in thoroughly. Test to see if batter runs very slowly off the end of the beater and ends in a point. If it doesn't flow or it ends in a raggedy point, add the rest of the egg and beat it in. You should be good to go.
- Thoroughly mix in 2/3 of the grated cheese.
- Drop about 2 teaspoons of the dough into tiny mounds on a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave about 1" of space between each wee mound. You can pipe them if you want, but it goes quickly with spoons too.
- With a wet finger, press down any little points of dough that might be sticking up.
- Divide the last ounce of cheese evenly among the wee gougeres and bake for ten minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 375F and bake another 10 minutes. You may need to cover the pan loosely with foil at the five-minute mark.
- Reduce the heat to 325F and bake for another 10 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door open and let the gougeres cool to just warm.
- Fill each puff with about 1-2 teaspoons of the bechamel aux champignons.
- Melt the butter over medium heat. When it's sizzling, add the flour.
- Stir well and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until it's a golden blonde color. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the milk slowly, whisking all the while to prevent lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently.
- When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and keep it at a low simmer, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened.
- Put the bechamel in your blender and add the duxelles. Blend on low speed. It doesn't have to be completely smooth, but it needs to be smooth enough that you can pipe it without little bits getting stuck in your piping tip. Cool to warm.
- Mince the mushrooms very finely in the bowl of your food processor. If you have a mini one, now would be the perfect time to use it.
- Melt half the butter over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir until they release their juices. Cook some more, stirring, until the mushrooms are dry again and have darkened in color.
- Add the second half of the butter along with the minced shallot and the thyme.
- Cook until the shallots have softened.
- Add the wine and cook until dry.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 74 calories, Carbohydrate 5 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 26 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 4 grams fat, Fiber 0 grams fiber, Protein 4 grams protein, SaturatedFat 3 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 82 milligrams sodium, Sugar 0 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 2 grams unsaturated fat
CHEESE PUFFS (GOUGERES)
Light, airy, cheese puffs are a versatile addition to a meal or appetizer plate. Tiny, they're like soup nuts. Larger, they pair well with beer or wine. Even bigger, they can be split and filled with ham, chicken, tuna salad, or even more cheese! These are easier to make than the recipe sounds, yet the result looks impressive enough that you can tell your friends you slaved over them.
Provided by Carolyn Bunkley
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Canapes and Crostini Recipes
Time 1h25m
Yield 12
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
- Combine the flour with the salt, black pepper, thyme, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
- Put the milk and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When the butter melts, turn heat to low. Add the seasoned flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball. Remove from heat.
- Separate the white and yolk from one egg, reserving the yolk for glazing.
- Put the dough into a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for one minute. Then beat in one egg and the extra egg white. Beat until completely absorbed into the dough. Then add the remaining 4 eggs, one at a time, waiting each time until the previous egg is completely absorbed. After all 5 eggs (plus the one egg white) have been incorporated, the dough should be smooth and satiny.
- Add the Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses, and pepperoni if you are using it. Incorporate thoroughly into the dough.
- Use a pastry bag to pipe dough onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. You can also drop dough from a teaspoon. For tiny puffs, mounds should be about 1/2 inch in diameter. From small appetizers, mounds should be 1 inch in diameter. For puffs large enough for filling, mounds should be 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Keep the size of the puffs uniform so they bake properly. Space puffs about 1 inch apart.
- Beat the remaining egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk to make a glaze. Lightly brush the tops of the puffs with glaze before baking. Sprinkle tops with your Parmesan cheese.
- Bake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes (5 minutes for tiny puffs). Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Bake 10 minutes more for tiny puffs; 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium or large puffs, or until puffs are golden brown. Test by removing a puff from the oven and breaking it open. The inside should be baked through. If it is still doughy or wet, bake another 5 minutes.
- Remove pans from oven and leave puffs on pans until cool enough to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 219.3 calories, Carbohydrate 9.5 g, Cholesterol 130.8 mg, Fat 15.9 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 9.7 g, SaturatedFat 8.7 g, Sodium 326.9 mg, Sugar 1.3 g
GOUGERES
I brought the recipe for these gougeres back from a trip to Nice, France. The original called for Gruyere cheese, but I found that Gouda is a more budget-friendly alternative. These puffs are a wonderful bite-sized treat. If you have leftovers, float a few of these gems on a bowl of soup in place of croutons. -Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Appetizers
Time 1h
Yield about 3 dozen.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425°. In a large heavy saucepan, bring first 4 ingredients to a rolling boil. Remove from heat; add flour all at once and beat until blended. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring vigorously until mixture pulls away from sides of pan and forms a ball, about 3 minutes., Transfer to a large bowl; beat 1 minute to cool slightly. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until smooth. Continue beating until shiny. Beat in cheese, chives and nutmeg. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets., For topping, whisk together egg and water; brush lightly over tops. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until puffed, firm and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm. , Freeze option: Freeze unbaked puffs on parchment-lined baking sheets until firm; transfer to resealable freezer bags and return to freezer. To use, place frozen puffs on parchment-lined baking sheets. Top and bake as directed, increasing time by 2-3 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 52 calories, Fat 4g fat (2g saturated fat), Cholesterol 36mg cholesterol, Sodium 71mg sodium, Carbohydrate 2g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 2g protein.
GOUGèRES
These two-cheese (Gruyere and Parmesan) bites-originally from France-are a great appetizer to include on your dinner table for any occasion.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Appetizers
Time 55m
Yield Makes about 30
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat 1/2 cup water, the butter, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove from heat, and stir in flour with a wooden spoon. Return pan to medium heat, and cook, stirring, until mixture pulls away from side of pan and forms a film on bottom, about 4 minutes.
- Transfer batter to a bowl, and beat with a mixer on low speed until slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Raise speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Beat 1 minute more. Batter should be shiny and form a string when pulled up with a finger; if string doesn't form, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it does. Stir in Parmesan.
- Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe about 30 mounds (1 inch in diameter) 1 inch apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush with egg yolk, and sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon Gruyere.
- Bake until gougeres are puffed and lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out dry, 20 to 25 minutes more. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips:
- Choose accompaniments that complement the flavors of gougeres. For example, if you are serving gougeres as an appetizer, you might want to pair them with a light and refreshing salad or a flavorful soup. If you are serving gougeres as a main course, you might want to pair them with a heavier dish, such as a roasted chicken or a beef stew.
- Consider the occasion when choosing your accompaniments. If you are serving gougeres at a formal event, you might want to choose more elegant accompaniments, such as a champagne cocktail or a fruit tart. If you are serving gougeres at a casual gathering, you might want to choose more relaxed accompaniments, such as a beer or a simple cheese platter.
- Don't be afraid to experiment. There are many different ways to serve gougeres, so feel free to get creative and try different combinations of accompaniments. You might be surprised at what you find.
Conclusion:
Gougeres are a versatile dish that can be served in many different ways. Whether you are serving them as an appetizer, a main course, or a snack, there are many accompaniments that can help you create a delicious and satisfying meal. So next time you are looking for something to serve with gougeres, be sure to consider the tips and suggestions in this article.
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