Dare to Gougère

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Heavenly gougére at Central in Las Vegas

The gougère (pronounced goo-ZHERE) is one of those little amuses or hors d’oeuvres that I always love seeing at a party. Perfect with a glass of champagne or prosecco, it typically signals there are going to be wonderful things ahead that evening. Made from a choux pastry (butter, water, flour, eggs) it is always combined with some type of cheese before baking; Gruyère or Comté are the most common, but I’ve seen Emmentaler as well. I never expected to find ethereal gougère in Las Vegas, but that’s just what happened to me two weeks ago at Caesar’s Palace.

 

Having lunch with a colleague at the new Central by Michel Richard, we were taking a look at the menu and I spotted the “cheese puffs” right away. I guess this is what a French chef must do when designing a menu in the desert that is supposed to be approachable to the masses. No matter. These puffs were as good as any I’ve had – anywhere. Their light, slightly-salty shell contrasting with the warm, heavenly scented savory pastry inside. I stopped at four, knowing I was about to try several other items and didn’t want to spoil my meal, but honestly, I could have easily polished off the balance remaining in the cylindrical cone they arrived in.

 

Here’s an easy recipe from the master himself, Jacques Pépin, so you can make some gougère for your next holiday party:

  1. 1 cup milk
  2. 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
  3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  4. Dash cayenne pepper
  5. 1 cup all-purpose flour
  6. 3 large eggs
  7. 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  8. 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  9. 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese (Emmenthaler or Gruyère)
  10. Coarse salt (fleur de sel or kosher salt) to sprinkle on top
  1. Bring the milk, butter, salt, and cayenne to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the flour all at once, and mix vigorously with a wooden spatula until the mixture forms a ball. Return the pan to the heat and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute to dry the mixture a bit. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor, let cool for 5 minutes, then process for about 5 seconds.
  2.  

    Add the eggs and paprika to the processor bowl, and process for 10 to 15 seconds, until well mixed. Transfer the choux paste to a mixing bowl, and let cool for 10 minutes.

  3.  

    Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a cookie sheet with a reusable nonstick baking mat or parchment paper. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the grated Parmesan cheese, then add the remainder and all the Swiss cheese to the choux paste. Stir just enough to incorporate. Using a tablespoon, scoop out a level tablespoon of the gougère dough, and push it off the spoon onto the cooking mat. Continue making individual gougères, spacing them about 2-inches apart on the sheet. Sprinkle a few grains of coarse salt and a little of the reserved Parmesan cheese on each gougère. Bake for about 30 minutes, until nicely browned and crisp. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature with drinks.