Spicy Cheese Puffs Food

GOUGèRES (FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS)

Steps:

• Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Bring the milk, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, immediately start stirring energetically. The dough will form into a ball and there will be a light film on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring for another two minutes or so to dry the dough: Dry dough will make puffier puffs.
• Turn the dough out into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or work by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon and elbow grease). Let the dough sit for a minute to cool, then add the eggs one by one, followed by the white, beating on medium speed until each one is incorporated before adding the next. The dough may look as though it's separating or falling apart -- just keep going, and by the time the egg white goes in, the dough will be smooth. Beat in the mustard, followed by the cheese. Give the dough a last mix-through by hand.
• Scoop or spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough (I use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop), and drop the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the mounds. (The scooped dough can be frozen on the baking sheets.)
• Slide the baking sheets into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375°F. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Continue baking until the gougères are puffed, golden, and firm enough to pick up, another 15 to 17 minutes. Serve immediately -- these are best directly from the oven. Storing: Although the puffs are best served hot out of the oven, they are still nice (although flatter) at room temperature that same day. If you want to keep baked puffs longer, freeze them and then reheat in a 350°F-oven for a few minutes.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer Instructions: Scoop the dough and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then pack them in an airtight container. You can bake them straight from the freezer; just give them a few more minutes in the oven.
• Note/Variation: Dorie adds ⅔ cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and chopped, to these gougères. My family prefers them without nuts but it's a nice variation to try. Add them along with the cheese.

CHEESY PASTRY PUFFS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Crumble the oregano and salt in a small bowl using your hands and set aside.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse meal. Add the cheese and 1 tablespoon ice water. Process until the mixture forms into a ball, adding extra water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed. On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 10-inch-diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Form the dough into a flat disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle the dough with the seasoned salt. Gently roll the salt into the dough using a rolling pin.
• Cut the dough into different shapes using the cookie cutters, and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Bake until puffed and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 10 minutes.

SPICY CHEESE PUFF APPETIZERS

Steps:

• Cut crust from bread; slice bread into 1 inch cubes.
• Melt butter and cheeses over low heat, stirring to blend. Add spices and Tabasco sauce. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
• Toss bread cubes into cheese mixture to coat and place on parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer (leaving a small space between each piece). Refridgerate 2 hrs or overnight (or you can freeze them and bake later).
• Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

SPICY CHEESE BITES

Steps:

• Sift the flour and a little salt into a bowl. Set a non-stick pan on the heat with 150ml cold water and the chopped butter. Bring to the boil, stirring until the butter melts. Tip in all the flour and, using a wooden spoon, beat hard until the mix becomes smooth and starts to leave the side of the pan.
• Remove from the heat, beat in the gruyère and half the parmesan and cool for 5 mins. Gradually beat in the eggs until you have a smooth, thick, but spoonable mix - you may not need all the egg. Can be set aside now for 2 hrs without chilling.
• When ready to serve, heat the oil in a deep-fat frying pan to around 180C. Using 2 teaspoons scoop up neat dollops and carefully drop into the hot oil. Fry 6-8 dollops a time for 3-4 mins until golden and crisp - dunk the dollops under to brown evenly. Reheat the oil as necessary. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan. Serve hot.

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.

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.

SPICY SAUSAGE CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• In a small skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and cool completely. , In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and cheese. Stir in the sausage, water and chilies., Shape into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on well-greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Refrigerate leftovers.

SPICY CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 375 f
• 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
• 3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, butter, and the 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. When the butter has melted, remove from heat and add the flour all at once. Using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture vigorously until it forms a ball. Return to medium heat and continue stirring for 1 minute, or until the mixture dries. .
• 4. Remove the mixture from the saucepan and spoon it into a food processor. Let cool for 5 minutes. After it has cooled slightly, process for a few seconds.
• 5. Add the eggs and cayenne and process for another 15 seconds, or until it is well combined. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese and bacon until they are just mixed in.
• 6. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheet spacing the mounds 2 inches apart. Sprinkle the tops of the puff with fleur de sel. Bake for 30 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Serve warm.