Party One Bite Appetizer: Gougères a.k.a. Cheese Puffs

There are lots of easy appetizers I have in my arsenal of recipes but this one is one of my favorites... Gougères, the fancy French name for cheese puffs, are simple to make and you can freeze them and reheat them later so that makes them perfect party food in my book. Based on a classic French recipe for cream puffs but without the sugar, this base recipe can be used for all sorts of things: make them a bit larger, slice in half and use as a bun for a tea sandwich, for example. With sugar, it becomes a cream puff when you fill it with custard. Perfect for just about any menu- make a ton and freeze some for later... they are best served warm. Addictive, in fact!

GOUGERES (CHEESE PUFFS)

1 1/2 cups water

1 stick butter, cubed

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

6 large eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese

pinch cayenne pepper

1 1/4 t coarse ground black pepper

1 1/2 t coarse sea salt

Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Put the water into a large pan over high heat. Add the butter and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat. Add the flour all at once, stirring until the mixture becomes a smooth, thick paste with no lumps. Add in the beaten eggs, a little at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until incorporated and the dough is not slippery.

Stir in cayenne, black pepper, and the cheese. Put the dough in a pastry bag or a ziptop bag and push it down into the corner. Snip the end.   

Pipe the dough into 2" mounds. Use a bit of water on your finger to tap down the top slightly so the tip won't burn. Sprinkle the top of each with sea salt. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes or until dry and browned. Serve warm.

Leave off the cheese and you can make these to stuff with all sorts of goodies. Chicken salad comes to mind.....

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