Category — Leftovers

Gougére are savory páte a choux made traditionally with gruyere cheese. They are tender, buttery, and have a nice nutty flavor reminiscent of toasted parmesan cheese. Gougére are perfect for a cocktail party or in place of dinner rolls. The formula is pretty simple. Weigh your páte a choux and fold in half that weight worth of shredded gruyere cheese. You can use any semi-hard cheese (a sharp cheddar would be nice) and any other flavorings like chopped parsley or cayenne pepper. Here’s a recipe for about 50 gougére:

Gougére:

• 6 oz. whole milk
• 6 oz. water
• 6 oz. whole butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 oz. bread flour
• 5-6 eggs
• 1 lb. grated gruyere cheese (or any other semi-hard cheese)
• Flavorings, if desired

To make the páte a choux, heat the water, milk, and butter in a small saucepan. When boiling, add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a moist ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cook for about 20 seconds and transfer the dough to a mixer equipped with a paddle attachment. Beat the dough on low speed for a few minutes to cool slightly and begin to add the eggs 1 at a time, waiting until well incorporated before adding the next. Before adding the last egg, remove the bowl from the mixer and smooth the surface of the páte a choux. Using your index finger, drag a canyon-like groove into the paste. The dough should be firm enough that the groove stays in tact but loose enough so the sides of the groove will collapse inward. Beat in part or all of the last egg if necessary until the desired consistency is reached.



Fold in the grated cheese and any desired flavorings and transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large plain tip. Pipe 1 oz. mounds (about the diameter of a silver dollar) onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake in a 400° oven until golden brown on top then reduce the heat to 325° and continue baking until the gougére are a deep brown. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Photos by Justin Kern.

Share on Facebook

These are linzor style cookies I made using the leftover tart dough from my Cranberry-Orange Tart. The cookie is flavored with orange zest and a splash of 100% orange oil. Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients:

• Orange Tart Dough
• Almond flour, as needed
• Raspberry jam, as needed
• Powdered sugar, as needed

Weigh your tart dough then scale 20% of that dough weight in almond flour.  Lightly knead the almond flour into the tart dough, being carefully not to heat or work the dough too much.  If you can’t find or do not want to use almond flour, omit it from the cookies. Chill the dough for at least an hour before rolling to 1/16′’ thick. Cut 1.5′’ circles from the dough and transfer to a parchment lined sheet pan. You can combine and reroll the scraps but the dough might need to be chilled again.  Then, using a smaller cutter, cut a hole in the center of half of your cookies, creating an equal number of cookie bottoms and tops. Bake the cookie bottoms and tops on separate sheet pans in a 350° oven until very slightly browned, about 10 minutes. The tops will cook more quickly than the bottoms.

To assemble, dust the cookie tops heavily with powdered sugar. Spread about 1/2 tsp. of raspberry jam on the cookie bottoms. Carefully place a dusted cookie top on the jam, leaving a clean reveal of raspberry. Enjoy!

Photos by Justin Kern.

Share on Facebook