Red Pepper and Västerbotten Cheese Gougeres
Hey my dudes!
I recently made red pepper and västerbotten cheese gougeres for my 30th birthday party. I threw a cocktail party and gougeres make for ideal hors d’oeuvres. Have you ever tried gougeres? They’re these little French cheese puffs that are just to die for. They sound fancy but they are pretty easy to make and very easy to make. Plus they go great with champagne!
Gougeres have been around since the 16th century and originated in the Burgundy region of France. They were traditionally served as an hors d’oeuvre during wine tastings and were made with gruyere cheese. Nowadays, there are all sorts of variations, including my own with västerbotten cheese. Västerbotten cheese is a Swedish cheese that has a sharp, nutty flavor. Any hard, sharp cheese should work for you though.
The making of gougeres!
The dough/batter is called pate choux. This dough is the same thing you use to make eclairs and churros. I like to add a lot of black pepper and red pepper to give my gougeres a nice kick.
The trick to good pate choux is to add just enough egg. You want just enough egg for the batter to be really thick, not runny at all, but it should be able to fall off the spatula. If your batter is falling off the spatula in a V formation you’re good to go.
Once the dough is made you can portion it by piping small dollops or using a small cookie scoop. The dough can be frozen for several weeks so these are great to prep ahead.
The cheese craqueline crust is just a fancy way of saying a cheesy topping that will give your gougeres an extra layer of flavor and keep them nice and round. The amount in the recipe fits one half sheet tray when rolled out to the edges. Use a small ring cutter to punch out circles to place on top of your gougeres.
When you go to bake off the gougeres just place them, frozen onto trays lined with silpats or parchment paper. Top with the cheese craqueline and let defrost at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake them in a 400F/200C oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown
And that’s it! You now have a plate full of delicious red pepper and västerbotten cheese gougeres that are perfect for any cocktail party or gathering. They’re easy to make, and they’re sure to impress your guests.
Red Pepper and Västerbotten Cheese Gougeres
Ingredients
Gougeres
- 125 g water
- 125 g milk
- 110 g butter
- 150 g flour
- 15 g sugar
- 7 g salt
- 2 g ground black pepper
- 2 g chili flakes
- 250 g eggs
- 88 g Västerbotten cheese
Cheese Craqueline
- 30 g butter
- 40 g Parmesan cheese
- 40 g Västerbotten cheese
- 40 g AP flour
- 1 g baking powder
Instructions
Gougeres
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the water, milk, and butter.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Turn off the heat and add the flour, salt, sugar, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Turn the heat back on and cook until a “fur” form on the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes to release some of the steam.
- With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The batter may look curdled or separated, but keep mixing until it comes together.
- Add the grated cheese and mix until well combined.
- Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion the batter into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Freeze the gougeres until solid, about one hour*
Cheese Craqueline
- Meanwhile, make the cheese craqueline by mixing the grated cheese, flour, and softened butter in a small bowl until it forms a dough.
- Roll the dough out between two silpats (or two sheets of parchment paper) to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6mm).
- Cut out circles using a small ring cutter or cookie cutter that’s slightly smaller than the size of the gougeres.
- Freeze the craqueline rounds until solid, about 1 hour.
Bake
- Take the frozen gougeres and craqueline rounds out of the freezer.
- Place a craqueline round on top of each gougeres and press down gently to adhere.
- Bake the gougeres for 20-25 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Enjoy your Red Pepper and Västerbotten Gougeres!