Herbed Gougeres Food

HERBED GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
• For the egg wash, whisk together 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water with the butter, salt, and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, and immediately remove from heat. Using a wooden spoon, add flour, stirring vigorously, until flour is no longer visible. Return pan to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a film on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
• Remove mixture from heat and transfer contents to a bowl. Add both cheeses, the herbs, and spices. Stir to combine with a wooden spoon and let cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition, and waiting to add the next egg until the previous one is entirely incorporated.
• Transfer dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip; pipe 1 1/2-inch puffs about 1 inch apart. Using a lightly moistened finger, smooth tops. Brush each puff with egg wash and sprinkle each one with remaining Gruyere.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until puffs are golden, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately, as gougeres are best eaten warm from the oven.

GRUYERE GOUGERES

Steps:

• Place water, butter, salt and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil. Add all the flour and mix with a wooden spoon until dough is formed (about two minutes). Transfer dough into mixer with paddle attachment and mix on medium to slightly cool the mixture. Add the eggs one at a time making sure to incorporating each fully (the batter should be silky smooth). Add the cheese and white pepper to taste.
• Pipe quarter size puffs on parchment paper and bake in oven 450 for 7-8 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and cook for an additional 20-25 minutes until the gougeres are puffed and golden brown. Sobel likes topping his with a sliver of cured ham and a fried quail egg. You don't need to be that fancy though, because these taste darn good on their own.

HERBED GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• In 3-quart saucepan, heat water, butter, salt and cayenne to boiling on medium. Remove from heat. With wooden spoon, vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms ball and leaves side of pan.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until batter is smooth and satiny. Stir in cheese, parsley, chives, and lemon peel until well mixed. Drop batter by rounded teaspoons, about 1 1/2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown, rotating sheets between upper and lower racks halfway through baking. Cool slightly on sheets on wire racks, 3-5 minutes. SERVE WARM.
• To make ahead -- cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and freeze up to one month. Transfer from freezer to cookie sheets; reheat in 350 degree F oven 10 minutes or until warm.

HERBED GOUGERE PUFFS

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup water, butter and salt to a boil.
• Remove from heat and add flour all at once, beating until smooth.
• Return saucepan to medium heat; cook, stirring constantly, until dough becomes stiff and pulls away from sides of pan, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in 2/3 cup Swiss cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, dill and chives.
• Lightly grease one or two baking sheets.
• Drop heaping tablespoon of dough onto baking sheet, forming one 15 inch or two 8-inch rings, with dough barely touching.
• Sprinkle with rema ining 1/3 cup Swiss cheese. Bake at 425 degrees F 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
• Serve warm.

THYME GOUGèRES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring butter and 1 cup water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. Remove from heat. Add flour, cayenne, and salt; stir vigorously to blend. Return to heat; stir vigorously over medium heat until mixture forms a ball and a thin, dry film forms on bottom and sides of pan, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 1 cup Gruyère, Asiago, and 2 teaspoons thyme; beat on low speed to blend. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each egg between additions, and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" tip or a plastic bag with 1/2" cut diagonally from 1 corner. Pipe dough onto prepared baking sheets in 1"-1 1/4" rounds, spacing 1" apart. Whisk remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Brush egg wash lightly over rounds, patting down to form rounded tops. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons Gruyère. Garnish each with a few thyme leaves.
• Bake gougères until puffed and golden brown and centers are cooked through but still moist, 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 month ahead. Let cool completely. Store airtight in freezer. Rewarm in 325°F oven until hot, 10-15 minutes.