Gougeres are the ultimate accompaniment to a glass of champagne or aperitif. I make a couple of batches at a time and freeze the uncooked piped dough then store in a bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. It means that when you have visitors, pop them on a tray and cook from frozen.
Important note, always make more than you think you’ll need – they are incredibly moreish
Put 250ml water into a medium sized pan along with the butter and salt. Gently bring it to simmering point and make sure the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and quickly add the flour beating it into the water with a whisk. Return the pan to a very low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until you have smooth ball, this should take a couple of minutes.
Tip into the bowl of a stand mixer with a beater attachment, beat until cool. Gradually pour in the beaten egg a bit at a time making sure you incorporate before adding the next bit. Finally stir in the cayenne pepper and cheese.
Scoop the batter into a piping bag. Use a little bit of batter to secure a piece of baking a paper to a tray that will fit in your freezer. Pipe walnut size blobs of batter onto the baking paper. When all are piped, wet your finger with water and pat down any spikes on the batter. Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours then peel off the paper and pop into a freezer bag and store until needed. If you want to cook from fresh, don’t freeze and follow the cooking instructions below.
Cook from Frozen
Preheat the oven to 200c fan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone sheet or baking paper.
Put the frozen gougeres on the sheet, paint with the egg and sprinkle with cheese. Put in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 180c and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from the oven and using a small sharp knife, puncture a hole into each gougere then return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
Serve immediately.
- 75 g butter cubed
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- 150 g plain flour Sifted
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 170 g gruyere grated
Finishing ingredients
- 1 egg yolk mixed with 1/2 tsp water
- 50 g gruyere finely grated
Instructions
- Put 250ml water into a medium sized pan along with the butter and salt. Gently bring it to simmering point and make sure the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and quickly add the flour beating it into the water with a whisk. Return the pan to a very low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until you have smooth ball, this should take a couple of minutes.
- Tip into the bowl of a stand mixer with a beater attachment, beat until cool. Gradually pour in the beaten egg a bit at a time making sure you incorporate before adding the next bit. Finally stir in the cayenne pepper and cheese.
- Scoop the batter into a piping bag. Use a little bit of batter to secure a piece of baking a paper to a tray that will fit in your freezer. Pipe walnut size blobs of batter onto the baking paper. When all are piped, wet your finger with water and pat down any spikes on the batter. Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours then peel off the paper and pop into a freezer bag and store until needed.If you want to cook from fresh, don't freeze and follow the cooking instructions below.
Cook from frozen
- Preheat the oven to 200c fan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone sheet or baking paper.
- Put the frozen gougeres on the sheet, paint with the egg and sprinkle with cheese. Put in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 180c and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove from the oven and using a small sharp knife, puncture a hole into each gougere then return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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