CHEESE PUFFS (GOUGERES)

 

Ingredients

150grams tablespoons of salt

 cups of milk

150grams tablespoons of sugar

1 cups of grated Gruyere cheese

2 stick of unsalted butter (5 ounces/120 grams), chopped into small pieces

2 cup (130 grams) of flour

3-4 eggs

1 cup of grated Cheddar cheese

 

Directions

1. Heat the oven for about 430 degrees. Use parchment to line two backing sheets and set them aside.
2. Using a saucepan, combine milk with cup of water with salt, sugar, butter, and milk and stir. Continue to stir the mixture until all of it has melted. Increase the heat to a medium range so as to enhance controlled baking.
3. Remove it from the source of heat before adding flour immediately. Use a spoon to stir vigorously for some time to ensure that whole mixture has thickened. Keep stirring to ensure flour lumps have not remained.
4. Return the mixture to the source of heat and heat it while stirring so as to facilitate the formation of a film underneath the saucepan. Keep on stirring for two or more minutes while ensuring that the film have not been scraped
5. Remove the mixture (panade) and transfer it to the food processor. Stir it for at least two minutes to dispel the heat.
6. While the processor is running, add the beaten eggs while maintaining its consistency.
7. Take the paste and stir it in the cheese
8. Take the cookie scoop and the scoop generous mounds of the paste into the baking sheets lined with parchment. Ensure to space them well on the table.
9. Return them into the oven and immediately maintain the heat at 380 degrees F. Given them at most 30 minutes to bake before removing them

 (Denny, 2016)

Explanation and rationale

            When preparing this snack, there are two things that had to be kept in mind. The first one is that it is important to ensure that all the ingredients are available before starting the cooking process. In the act of grating the cheese, it is important to ensure that the butter and water have not boiled away. Otherwise, the contents will lose a lot of water. Secondly, it is recommended to give the butter few minutes to cool before adding the beaten eggs. The reason for that is to ensure that they are not cooked.  During stirring, it is important to vigorously do it without stopping. It is important to ensure using strong cheese like aged Comte, Gruyere, sharp cheddar, and so on, or just a mix of the same. The addition of smoked cheese is also a nice option to take (Wright, 2003). 

            After the puffs have turned golden brown, it is better to poke them aside using a knife so as to release steam, before returning them into the oven to finish baking. It is important to serve them while warm. You can sandwich a piece of dry-aged ham in them.  During baking, one of the problems that the majority of people encounter with cream cheese puff dough is deflated cheese puffs. The main of this is use of extra eggs or just under baking.  It is, therefore, important to ensure that large eggs have been used.  Ensure you have given the puffs enough time to bake until they have complexly turned golden brown so as to make them not to sink when cooling (Bertinet, 2013). 

 

                                   

                       

                                                            References

Bertinet, R. (2013). Pastry: A master class for everyone, in 150 photos and 50 recipes. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Denny, L. (2016). Puff Pastry Recipes: 50 Delicious of Puff Pastry Recipes50 Delicious of Puff Pastry Recipes.

Wright, C. A. (2003). Little foods of the Mediterranean: 500 fabulous recipes for antipasti, tapas, hors d'oeuvre, meze, and more. Boston, MA: Harvard Common Press.