Mmmm, gougères! So impressive, so fancy sounding, and yet so easy to put together.
Welcome to my first post as a member of French Fridays with Dorie! SO excited to be a part of this new group. Dorie selected the five recipes for October, and each one sounds delicious.
We start off with gougères. Basically, they're cheese-flavored cream puffs, but oh, they are so much more than that! Plenty of shredded cheese gets added into a savory (no sugar) pâte à choux, and the dough bakes into golden, cheesy, incredibly addictive little puffs.
The ingredients are basic - milk and water, butter, salt, flour, eggs, and, of course, cheese.
You bring the milk, water, butter and salt to a boil…
Add the flour and mix vigorously for a while… (see that film of damp flour sticking to the pot? That’s just what you’re supposed to see at this stage of the game, so don’t feel you have to scrape it back into the rest of the dough.)
Then move the dough to your mixing bowl and, one by one, incorporate the eggs.
And once the eggs are in, you mix in the cheese.
Mmmmm…cheese….
I used a blend of cheddars, in case you were wondering.
Anyway.
I only baked a dozen of these, and froze the rest of the little mounds for another time.
The smell, as they baked, was torture. The recipe should come with a “Do Not Bake on an Empty Stomach” warning.
Bill wasn’t home yet, but I summoned my kids so they could have a sample, once the gougères had cooled slightly.
Initially Alex nodded his head approvingly, but then he changed his mind for some reason. Julia didn’t like them at all.
And you know what?
That’s okay.
ALL THE MORE FOR ME!
Okay, I did save some for Bill.
Really.
~~~
Wanna join in the French Fridays with Dorie fun? Go out and get yourself a copy of Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table, and dive in!
I love the top picture--yum! Brianna had the same reaction as Alex--first she said she liked them, then she changed her mind. Gillian, on the other hand, loved them and ate three or four. I've mostly given up on trying to predict what they'll like. =)
Posted by: Di | October 01, 2010 at 09:38 AM
I wish I had thought to freeze some of mine for later. Oh well... now I know and will probably make more for that purpose this weekend. Yours are beautiful.
Posted by: Trevor Sis Boom | October 01, 2010 at 11:19 AM
Thirding the freeze half for later, seconding the "don't bake on an empty stomach" warning...
Posted by: Kat | October 01, 2010 at 11:24 AM
Your step by step photos are lovely! Glad you liked these. I sent some with my kiddos in their lunches for a week. :)
Posted by: Karen | October 01, 2010 at 11:37 AM
I really like the last picture!
Posted by: KY | October 01, 2010 at 04:04 PM
Ooh, your puffs had a lot more layers inside than mine. Cute!
Posted by: yummychunklet | October 01, 2010 at 09:07 PM
Yours look beautiful! I really like your step-by-step pics, too.
Posted by: Teresa | October 01, 2010 at 09:18 PM
I agree with everyone else - love your photos! :) These were the perfect first recipe!
Posted by: Jessica of My Baking Heart | October 01, 2010 at 09:44 PM
Yours came out so perfectly round - love them! Great photos.
Posted by: Elaine | October 01, 2010 at 10:00 PM
Someone didn't like gougeres? Wow.
Beautiful post!
Posted by: Serene @ MomFoodProject | October 02, 2010 at 12:08 AM
They look lovely! I'm surprised that your kids didn't like them - they don't know what they're missing!
Posted by: Jill | October 02, 2010 at 08:34 AM
Love the step by step photos! Beautiful gougeres!
Posted by: Cristine | October 02, 2010 at 08:45 AM
The step by step pics are perfect. And that top pic syas it all. These were delicious, weren't they.
This is going to be FUN!!!
Posted by: margaret | October 02, 2010 at 10:14 AM
What wonderful prep photos! They came out smashing! You've really captured their "puffyness" - nicely done!
Posted by: mike | October 02, 2010 at 02:33 PM
Yes! Me too! I thought the smell was almost criminal, but they were so worth it. I think your process photos are invaluable. You're nicer than I am...the first time I made these, I ate all 12 of them for dinner. I made minis, but still, it was a bit greedy of me!
Posted by: Leslie | October 02, 2010 at 11:46 PM
Torture. Yes, that's the right word. I'm both glad and sorry that I made just half a batch. Guess I'll have to make a full batch and do my best to freeze a few.
Posted by: Judy | October 03, 2010 at 01:16 AM
My kids didn't want to try them either. They look marvelous, though!
Posted by: pamela | October 03, 2010 at 10:48 PM
Thanks for stopping by my blog, definitely try the gougeres with manchego! (My next attempt will be goat milk for the pastry and an aged goat cheese. Goatgeres!)
Your photos are fantastic, I am so jealous of the beautiful natural light in your kitchen. (My galley kitchen has no windows!)
Looking forward to cooking along with you for FFWD!
Posted by: Katrina | October 04, 2010 at 12:05 PM
Goatgeres! I love that!
Posted by: Jayne | October 04, 2010 at 12:29 PM
I ate about half of them before I told my bf that they were in the kitchen- couldn't help it!
Posted by: spike | October 04, 2010 at 04:42 PM
Hey! And thanks for your nice comment on my blog :)
Yum I couldn't stop eating them either! How can you not like gougères?!
Posted by: Elsa | October 04, 2010 at 08:52 PM
Your gougeres look perfect! Thanks for visiting my blog, too :). I like your post about baking with your niece - so nice!
Posted by: luciacara | October 05, 2010 at 01:46 PM
I saw that you got a shout out in the NYT article on spaghetti tacos today! Way to go! You're gougeres look delish! Can't wait to see more of your FFWD posts!
Posted by: Laura | October 06, 2010 at 11:55 AM