Cheddar-Walnut Gougères with Shaved Parmesan and Maldon Sea Salt Topping (GF)

Gougères are small savory cheese puffs made with the same type of dough used for cream puffs or éclairs. There are many variations of ingredients one can use, but this recipe by Dorie Greenspan in the The New York Times sounded good to me for a first attempt.

I divided the work in half by making the dough one evening, letting it sit covered in the fridge overnight, and forming and baking the gougères the next morning. I baked two-thirds of the cheese puffs and froze the other third for another time.

Ms. Greenspan writes that her favorite way to eat gorgères is hot out of the oven with a glass of wine. Ours were stored in a container, then later in the day sliced in half and used like biscuits under a slow-cooked beef and pepperoncini dish (recipe below*).

How do you like to eat your gougères? There are so many combinations of cheeses and herbs to choose from to begin with, I imagine the choices are endless here, too.

My Paleo Marin Rating: 2.5 Persimmons**

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 4 chunks
1/2 cup whole milk, or water (paleo-friendly)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup gluten-free flour, preferably Cup4Cup All Purpose Flour

4 large eggs, room temperature + 1 large egg white, room temperature
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, preferably Edmond Fallet Original Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 cups loosely packed cheddar cheese (or mix of whatever cheese you like such as Comté, Gruyère, Swiss, Jack or other semifirm cheese)

2/3 cup lightly toasted finely chopped walnuts

Sprinkles of shaved parmesan cheese and Maldon English Sea Salt flakes


Directions:

Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with silpat sheets or parchment paper.

1. In a medium saucepan, add the butter, milk, salt and water; bring to a boil. Add the flour all at once, set heat to medium-low and stir with a wooden spoon without stopping until the mixture pulls away from the pot and forms a ball. Keep up a vigorous stir of the dough for 3 more minutes; the drier the dough, the better the finished product. Scrape the dough into a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or into a bowl if you are mixing by hand. Let sit for 1 minute.

2. With the mixer at medium speed, add the 4 eggs, one at a time. Beat for 1 minute after each egg goes in, scraping the bowl as needed. The dough may look grainy at this point but should come together after adding the egg white.

3. Beat in the egg white, then the mustard. Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the grated cheese and then the chopped walnuts. Give the dough a few good stirs with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula. The dough is now prepared.

Note: If making the gougères the next day, put the dough in a covered container in the fridge. Take out of the fridge about an hour before forming the gougères and follow the directions below.

4. Working with a cookie scoop measuring about 2 teaspoons, or a tablespoon and another spoon, form the balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with the shaved parmesan and Maldon salt. Ms. Greenspan made in 59 gougères; my total was 37.

Note: If you would like to freeze some of the gougères, now is the time: Gougères can be frozen separately on a plate and then placed in a container. When ready to eat, take them out and place on a prepared baking sheet while the oven heats up; bake for a minute or two longer, or as required.

To bake the gougères:

5. Turn the oven temperature down to 375º F. Bake one sheet at a time for 22 - 24 minutes, or a little more, until the gougères are puffed up, brownish on top, and firm enough to pick up. Serve immediately, or reheat briefly in a 350º F oven.

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Gougères recipe adapted from Dorie Greenspan's recipe in The New York Times here.

*From the New York Times Cooking Community on Facebook (sorry, I don't know the person who posted it to credit them):

Italian beef: Throw the meat (1 pound beef stir fry), two med/large onions sliced, 6 cloves chopped garlic, 1-2 jars of pepperoncinis or banana peppers, 2 tbsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a slow cooker or Dutch oven. Cover with beef broth or water, just covered. Cook on low 8 hours, high for 4 hours. Serve over mashed potatoes, or in buns smothered in melted provolone. Save the cooking liquid in freezer for your next beef stew.

**My Paleo Marin Rating between 1-5 Persimmons

I try out these recipes so you don't have to (and modify them for Paleo where possible). The rating will reflect my opinion of the final result in terms of taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, and sometimes, cost.