Cheese Puff Crown Food

CHEF JOHN'S PARTY CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• Stir water, butter, and salt together in a pot; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and whisk flour into butter mixture until a paste-like dough forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer dough to a bowl to cool until warm, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Whisk 1 egg, thyme, and black pepper into cooled dough until egg is completely incorporated. Add remaining egg and whisk until completely incorporated into dough. Stir 3/4 the cheese into dough until combined. Scoop 1-inch balls of dough onto prepared baking sheet. Top each with remaining cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden and puffed, 15 to 20 minutes.

CHEESECAKE CROWNS

Steps:

• Thaw three puff pastry sheets (save remaining sheet for another use). Unfold pastry; cut each into four squares. Gently press squares into greased jumbo muffin cups, pulling corners up and out of cups; press corners down onto muffin pan. , In a small bowl, combine the flour, pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle 1 heaping tablespoonful into each muffin cup. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs on low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Spoon into pastry cups., Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until filling is almost set and pastry is golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour or until set. , For glaze, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and enough water to achieve a drizzling consistency. Garnish crowns with fresh berries if desired; drizzle with glaze. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHEESY CORN PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring the corn, butter and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape the dough into a bowl; let cool slightly. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well between each addition. Stir in the cheese and chives. Chill the dough 15 minutes.
• Scoop tablespoon-size mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with more cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown and puffy, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over medium heat, until scalded. Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.
• Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside.

IRISH BEER CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner (such as Silpat®).
• Combine butter, beer, salt, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Let butter melt and bring to a simmer. Add flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon until it all comes together, about 30 seconds. Continue to cook and stir until the dough dries out a bit and starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, another minute or so. Turn off the heat and continue stirring for another 1 to 2 minutes, scraping as much off the bottom of the pan as you can.
• Transfer dough into a bowl. Add one egg and whisk it into a bit of the hot dough. Keep whisking in more dough until incorporated. Repeat with remaining egg, cleaning out the whisk as needed, until well combined and dough is sticky.
• Add ¾ cup Cheddar cheese and cayenne and stir until incorporated.
• Scoop 12 rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Press a little Cheddar on the tops and sides of each puff.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until nicely puffed and beautifully browned, about 25 minutes. Turn off the oven and crack the door; let cheese puffs cool, undisturbed, for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the spread: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add leek and ½ teaspoon salt; cook and stir until just barely tender, 7 to 10 minutes, adding a splash of water every few minutes to prevent browning.
• Stir in green onions and sauté briefly for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer leek-onion mixture to a bowl and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add lemon juice and mascarpone cheese and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until cheese puffs have finished cooling.
• Serve cheese puffs with spread.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Soften cheese and work all ingredients together with hands, and roll into balls the size of marbles.
• Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
• Makes 6 dozen.
• Note: These can be frozen for months.
• To freeze: place on cookie sheet, freeze then store in plastic bag.
• Bake when needed.

CHEDDAR CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. In a medium-size heavy saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the butter and salt, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and add flour. Mix with a wooden spoon until dough starts to pull away from sides of pan and form a lump. Set aside, without stirring, 5 minutes.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. With each addition, dough will look glossy and slick at first; let it come together before adding next egg. Mix in mustard, cayenne and cheese. Dough will be quite loose and sticky.
• Scoop up a heaping teaspoon of dough and use another spoon to scrape it onto lined pan; it should form a mound about an inch in diameter. Alternatively, use a pastry bag or thick plastic bag with one corner cut off, to pipe small mounds onto pan. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving 1/2 inch between puffs.
• Bake until puffy and golden, about 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Remove from oven and serve immediately, or turn oven off and open door slightly to keep puffs warm up to 1 hour.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt and cayenne to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in Gruyere and mustard. , Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.