French cooking has always been an interest of mine.  Whenever I picture French cuisine, I picture being in the French countryside where hills are green, flowers are abundant and wine is at my fingertips.  French food is full of flavor, sophistication and, the perfection of delicate sauces.  French cooking is more than wine and cheese. French food is about socializing with friends and family, enjoying each other’s company, eating fine foods, drinking fine wine and having conversations with one another (a lost art today).

The French have influenced chefs around the world creating the most delectable cuisine imaginable from Coq au vin to Chocolate soufflé.  I recently stumbled upon a very easy French recipe that is light, airy, cheesy and goes well with any white wine or my favourite, champagne or bubbles as my friends and I refer to it.  It is the Gougères or French Cheese Puffs!

Gougères (pronounced “goo-ZHAIRS”) is said to have come from Burgundy in France and is a savory French pastry with some type of cheese.  The cheese I prefer to use is Gruyère, though Comté or Emmental will work as well.  The pastry of a Gougères is a choux pastry.  Choux pastry is commonly used for making cream puffs, éclairs and, beignets to name a few.

The French way to make Gougères is to use a pastry bag and pipe small mounds of dough onto a baking sheet, however, I find it easier using my hands making little round balls.

This Petites Gougères recipe makes for a great appetizer at any function but is especially festive on Mother’s Day.  Gather friends and family, pour a little bubbly, pop a Gougère into your mouth and toast to all of the Mothers on their special day.

Petites Gougères Recipe:

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup whole milk
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
• ½ cup grated Gruyère for sprinkling
• Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

• Position two baking sheets onto the bottom of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Preheat oven to 425°
• Bring water, milk, butter, salt and, pepper in your All-Clad medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil, over medium-high heat. Whisking until butter is completely melted.
• Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium-low, using a wooden spoon stir quickly until the dough forms a ball. Keep stirring until dough is no longer sticky and is smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. Let the dough cool for a minute, then add the eggs one at a time and beat until the dough is nice and shiny. At the very end, stir in the grated cheese and chopped rosemary.
• Shape the Gougères using a medium sized scoop. Drop the dough from a spoon onto parchment-paper lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between them. For a rounder, Gougères wet your hands and shape the dough into little balls (as you would a meatball) before placing them on the baking sheets.
• Brush the top of each Gougère with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake the Gougères for 5 minutes and then lower the heat to 350° F.  Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the pans and bake for another 10 minutes. Continue baking until the Gougères are a deep golden brown, firm and puffed.
• Remove pans from oven and allow to cool on cooling racks or serve warm with a little butter.

Recipe inspired by Olivia's Cuisine.

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Bonne fête des mères!

Happy Mother's Day!