Cougères (aka cheese puffs)
(from home4edu’s recipe box)
Traditional cheese puffs than can be varied on with different cheeses
Source: Alexandra (from RecipeThing user Alexandra)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Serves 8 people
Categories: Appetizers
Ingredients
- 200g gruyère/conté (grated)
- optional: 50g cut in strips for topping
- 250ml water
- salt
- 100g butter, cut in 1T slices
- 150g flour (1.25 cup)
- 4-5 eggs
Directions
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Boil water with butter and pinch of salt till butter is completely melted
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drop all flour at ounce in to water and stir with wooden spoon till full incorporated and forms a solid ball.
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Stir around a little longer so the ball doesn’t stick to bottom of pan (dries a little)
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take off heat and put dough ball into a large bowl
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add 2 eggs, and stir well so they are full incorporated into dough. the dough will at first break and then reshape into a sticky dough mass
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add other eggs one by one. The last one may not be needed if the dough is loose enough. It should slowly drop off of the wood spoon (versus stick to it in a clump).
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Then add the grated cheese in and stir well.
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with a soup spoon, form balls on to a baking dish covered with parchment paper.
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Bake at 350ºF for 10 mins, then 325ºF for 40mins to till gougère looks nice and golden.
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Be sure to warm people they are hot inside coming right out of the oven.
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You can try variations with pepper jack cheese for southwestern gougères, or sharp cheddar for an Irish version (and serve with Guiness).
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see French Laundry’s version:
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http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2000/laundry/gougeres.html#axzz1JEgOtzmg