Gougères
This is my take on a Gougère. Instead of grating cheese into the choux, I fill it with the cheese custard and cover it in cheese again. For me, it's a more playful and fun variation on the classic. Gougères are a delectable French savory pastry crafted from choux pastry dough mixed with cheese, and they make an ideal snack for brunch or picnics. They pair well with an array of accompaniments, such as wine or tea, chorizo or pâté, and even salad or soup.
Add <quantity>125<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of milk and <quantity>125<unit>ml</unit></quantity> of cream to a saucepan
Add <quantity>100<unit>g</unit></quantity> of egg yolk and whisk to combine. Turn the heat on to low
Add <quantity>200<unit>g</unit></quantity> of diced gruyère cheese and stir until it starts to melt
Keep stirring until the mixture reaches <temperature>82<unit>°C</unit></temperature>. Turn off the heat
Transfer the mixture to a tall container and blend with a hand blender on low speed until smooth
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled and firm
Add <quantity>75<unit>g</unit></quantity> of brown sugar and <quantity>75<unit>g</unit></quantity> of softened butter to a stand mixer bowl
Add <quantity>75<unit>g</unit></quantity> of all-purpose flour
Set the stand mix with the paddle attachment and mix on high speed until you get a flaky dough
Press the dough together and place it between <quantity>2</quantity> sheets of parchment paper
Roll out with a rolling pin to about <quantity>2<unit>mm</unit></quantity> thick. Place in the refrigerator until firm. Punch with a <quantity>3<unit>cm</unit></quantity> ring cutter and place the craquelin circles again in the fridge until ready to use
Preheat the oven to <temperature>180<unit>°C</unit></temperature>
Add <quantity>360<unit>g</unit></quantity> of water and <quantity>180<unit>g</unit></quantity> of butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat
Add <quantity>5<unit>g</unit></quantity> of salt and <quantity>10<unit>g</unit></quantity> of sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until the butter is melted. Turn down the heat to medium-low
Add <quantity>260<unit>g</unit></quantity> of all-purpose flour. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and pulls away from the bottom and sides of the pan
Transfer it to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 5m until the dough continues to come together and has cooled slightly
Add <quantity>325<unit>g</unit></quantity> of eggs, little by little, while beating on medium-high speed. Beat until they are completely incorporated
Transfer the dough to a piping bag. Twist and tie the top of the bag to close it
Line a tray with parchment paper and pipe the batter to form round <quantity>3<unit>cm</unit></quantity> diameter peaks, spaces slight apart
Flatten the tips with a wet finger
Place the craquelin circles on top of the choux pastry
Bake for 22m until golden brown and puffed. The choux pastry with craquelin is ready
Add <quantity>500<unit>g</unit></quantity> of cold cream cheese and the chilled cheese mixture to a bowl. Mix with a spatula until thoroughly combined
Transfer to a piping bag. Tie it and trim off the excess from the top of the bag. The cheese custard is ready
Make a small hole in the bottom of each gougère
Pipe the Cheese Custard into the gougères and place them on a plate
Grate some Gruyère cheese to taste on top of it. The gougères are ready
Enjoy this perfect and cheesy pastry!
I'm here to answer any questions you have about Gougères. Try me!