Cheese Gougére

 

I recently took a cooking class at a local country club, and this was one of the many fantastic recipes that was provided.  I had never tasted gougére before, but I immediately fell in love with them after the first bite.  Cheesy, moist inside, crispy outside, light, salty goodness.  The original recipe we had was actually made with Gruyere cheese, but when I made it at home there wasn't any in the house, so I used a mixture of Parmesan, Cheddar, and Mozzerella. I ended up liking my version even more.  Which is saying a lot because the Gruyere ones were incredible.  I recommend serving this with the Puree of Apple-Rutabaga Soup (found here).  The soup is also a recipe that the country club provided us with, and they paired the soup and the gougére together.  My family gobbled this up so fast...you have no idea.  Feel free to use whatever cheese you'd like, but I highly recommend my mixture.  Good quality cheese is best also.

Yield: about 15 Gougéres

Ingredients:
1 cup water
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pinch kosher salt
pinch of sugar
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
4 to 5 large eggs
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated mozzerella cheese
white pepper (optional)


Instructions:
1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2.  Mix together the cheeses, and set aside.
3.  In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil.  Add all the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ball and the excess moisture has evaporated (if the ball forms more quickly, continue to cook and stir for a full 2 minutes).
4.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl beat with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds at medium speed to cool slightly.  Add 4 eggs one at a time and continue to mix until completely combined and the batter has a smooth, silky texture.  Stop the machine and lift up the beater to check the consistency of the batter.  The batter in the mixing bowl should form a peak with a tip that falls over. If it is too stiff, beat in the white of the remaining egg.  Check again and, if necessary, add the yolk.  Finally mix in 3/4 cup of the cheese mixture and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper. 
5.  Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets (you can use a pastry bag if desired), leaving about 2 inches between the gougéres as the mixture will spread during baking.  Sprinkle the top with about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese and bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until they puff and hold they're shape.  
6.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.  When the gougéres are done, they should be a light golden brown color.  When you break one open, it should be hollow, the inside should be cooked but still slightly moist.
7.  Remove the pans from the oven a serve the gougéres while hot.