Blue Cheese Gougeres recipe.
"This is a very useful (and simple) recipe from the King Estates Pinot Gris
cookbook. Although intended to be served with Pinot Noir, they are very nice with
champagne, and make good munchies for those times when we need food to go
with all the wine we open BEFORE the meal gets there
10 tblspns unsalted butter
3/4 tspn salt
2 c unbleached flour, sifted
5 large eggs
1 c blue-veined blue cheese, crumbled
freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 375F. Combine 1-1/2 c water, butter and salt in saucepan and
bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately, and add all the flour at once,
stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. When the flour is incorporated, return the
pan to the heat for several minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to
dry out and pull away from the edge of the pan. Away from the heat, add the
eggs, one at a time, mixing each one until well blended. The dough should be soft
and shiny. Add the blue cheese. Season with black pepper and more salt if
needed.
Butter a baking sheet. Using either a soup spoon or a pastry bag with a large plain
tip, make mounds about 2" in diameter. Using a pastry brush, paint tops with a
glaze of the beaten egg. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until puffed and golden
brown. Makes about 24 3" puffs.
The puffs are at their best when served warm from the oven, but are also delicious
at room temperature. They can be made ahead and frozen, then popped in the
oven to reheat just before serving.