Smoked Gouda Gougeres

I picked up a copy of the Autumn edition of Food and Drink magazine the other day. As expected, the focus is on the fruits of the harvest and other foods that Canadians enjoy during the Fall. With cooler temperatures setting in, more substantial and warming foods are favoured. The glossy images had me craving many foods at once and I'll be trying several recipes from this issue over the next few months.

One of the first recipes that caught my eye was for Black Pepper Gouda Gougeres. For those unfamiliar with the term, gougeres are a savory French-style cheese puff that is often made with Gruyère cheese, and sometimes stuffed with other ingredients. Any flavourful cheese can be used. I decided to try the recipe with smoked Gouda, but feel free to substitute Gruyère, aged sharp cheddar, or even goat cheese.

These delightful little airy puffs can be served with a red pepper dip, or just on their own, as I enjoyed them.

Gouda Cheese Puffs

1 cup of water
1/4 cup of unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of paprika
dash of cayenne
4 eggs
2 tablespoons of fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 cups of smoked Gouda cheese, or black pepper Gouda

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium sauce pan, bring the water, butter and salt to a boil over high heat. Immediately add the flour, paprika, cumin, and cayenne, reduce the heat to low and stir until the mixture forms into a smooth ball that separates from the sides of the pan - roughly 1 minute.

Remove the pan from the heat and beat with a wooden spoon for a few minutes.

Now add 1 egg and the chopped herbs to the pot. Beat until thoroughly blended and repeat, adding 1 egg at a time. Add the cheese to the pot in small handfuls, stirring in between additions.

Drop the mixture in rounded tablespoon portions onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving roughly an inch between each puff.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown. Cool slightly on a wire rack and serve warm.

Makes approximately 35 - 40 cheese puffs.