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Bacon and cheese gougères
These cheese puffs, known as gougères in French cuisine, are made using a classic pastry called choux paste (the same dough used to make éclairs and profiteroles). They’re a great staple because they can be made ahead and frozen, and used in a number of ways: as a base for a piped cheese or smoked salmon, hors d’oeuvre, as a bun for a slider, as a substitute for croutons on a salad, as a garnish on a bowl of soup or simply as a nibble on their own with a cocktail.
YIELDS
Ingredients
- 6 slices cooked smoked bacon, well drained
- 1 cup (250 mL) 1% milk
- 1⁄4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter
- 1 1⁄4 cups (185 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (110 g) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese
- 1⁄2 cup (50 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1⁄2 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 egg yolk whisked with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cool water, for egg wash
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
- Place the bacon in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is the texture of crumbs. Remove and set aside (no need to wash the food processor bowl).
- In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and butter to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add the flour all at once and use a wooden spoon to vigorously stir the paste mixture for about two minutes, until it pulls away from the pan. Scrape into the food processor bowl and let sit to cool for five minutes.
- Break the eggs into a cup. While pulsing the food processor, add the eggs about one at a time, quickly pulsing to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl between additions.
- Add the Gruyère, Parmesan, chilli powder and cooked bacon and pulse well until the cheese is blended into the paste. Spoon this mixture (it will still be warm) into a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip, or use a small ice cream scoop.
- Pipe or scoop the batter into one and a half-inch (three and a half cm) rounds on the prepared baking trays, one and a half inches (three and a half cm) apart. If the rounds have little points from where you lifted up the piping bag, dip your finger in cool water and pat them down.
- Brush the gougères with the egg wash and then bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until they are a rich golden brown and are light when lifted off the tray. Allow the gougères to cool for at least 10 minutes on the tray before eating. They are best enjoyed warm but can be eaten at room temperature. Serve and enjoy!
Make-Ahead Tip: These puffs need to be piped and baked while the dough is still fresh and warm, but once baked, they freeze incredibly well. You can freeze them, well wrapped, for up to three months, and then re-warm them on a tray in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes. You can store baked puffs in an airtight container at room temperature for one to two days. Do not refrigerate them or they will dry out.
