Bacon Parmesan Gougere (Cheese Puffs) Recipe

As a continuation from our Valentine’s Day dinner post, one of the dishes I made for our appetizers was Bacon Parmesan Gougere. The easiest way to describe a Gougere is a cheese puff. The more technical way of explaining a Gougere is a choux pastry (used to make eclairs, cream puffs etc) made with cheese. They’re typically served as an hors d’oeuvres or it can be served along side soup like a biscuit or a bread.

While I was looking at different French cookbooks to come up with other dishes to accompany our French meal, this recipe came up a few time and it’s hard to turn down a recipe with bacon in it.

This recipe was fairly easy to make. First, I had to make the choux pastry dough by heating up the milk and butter in a small sauce pan over medium high heat and bringing it to a simmer. Then, I added the flour and pinch of salt to the mixture and mixed vigourously until it formed a smooth dough and the mixture no longer sticks to the side of the pan. When done, transfer the dough into a mixing bowl and press it out to the sides of the bowl to help the dough cool down faster. Allow to chill for a few minutes until it is warm to the touch (approximately 5 mins).

Then, in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, slowly mix the dough while adding the egg in one at a time making sure the egg has fully incorporated into the dough before next. The mixture will look chunky at first but it should eventually smoothen out once all the eggs are mixed in.

Now the fun part – adding in the mix ins! Add your chopped up cooked bacon, parmesan cheese, and aged cheddar cheese. Traditionally, this recipe calls for gruyere cheese but since we’re not a fan of that, we substituted with aged cheddar cheese instead. Finally, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and we mixed it in with the paddle attachment until fully incorporated.

Once fully incorporated, you can scoop these onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or pipe them in a piping bag with a large open tip.

Bake in an oven at 400F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Bacon Parmesan Gougere (Cheese Puffs) Recipe

by cookingwithteamj

Category Appetizer French Side Dishes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup shredded aged cheddar cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 slices of cooked bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Persons

15

Prep Time

1 hour, 30 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 50 minutes

Instructions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper/silpat.
• 2. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine the milk, butter and salt and bring to a simmer. Add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Stir over low heat until it turns into dough and pulls away from the pan cleanly.
• 3. Scrape the dough into a bowl and spread it to help it cool down faster. Allow to cool until the dough is warm.
• 4. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, slowly beat the eggs into the dough one at a time ensuring the egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once eggs are incorporated, add the cheeses, bacon, and freshly ground black pepper.
• 5. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag and cut a large tip open to pipe onto baking sheets. You can also use a soup spoon and spoon on balls of dough.
• 6. Bake for 20 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat in a 350° oven until piping hot.

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Tags

Appetizer,

bacon,

cheese,

cheese puff,

French Cooking,

gougere,

pastry,

Pâte à Choux