When I was young, I thought that the most sophisticated things were French. I loved those wobbly supermarket creme caramels where you would break off the tabs and the whole caramel would come shimmying and wobbling down the sides. I always thought that it was a marvellous feat that it was able to do that-it seemed almost magical or as if science were involved.
I was in my thirties before I tried a gougere at of all places Alain Ducasse at the Dorcester Hotel. I didn’t like a terribly sheltered existence at all, quite the opposite at least food-wise, but when I sat down to a bowl of gougeres I became hooked. I was all too familiar with choux buns as a sweet item but as a savoury item they were a wonderful revelation. I scoffed gougere after gougere, forgetting the fact that I was about to embark on the degustation meal to end all degustations.
When we did a recent class with Patisse, they gave us a container of the choux pastry to go home with us. I knew straight away that I wanted to make the cheese gougeres with it and I heeded chef Vincent Gadan’s suggestion of using Gruyere cheese and filling them with bechamel sauce. Gougeres are a traditional wine tasting snack originating from Burgundy in France. I made them and they were a little too big (what’s new you might ask, I always make things bigger than they’re meant to be) but they were deliciously moreish and easily scoffable. And if you are indeed under 30 and have never tried a gougere, please don’t turn thirty before trying these!
So tell me Dear Reader, what is one food that you think everyone should try?
Gruyere Cheese Gougeres
Adapted from a Patisse recipe
Makes about 4 dozen gougeres
Choux pastry
- 100g/3 1/2 ozs butter
- 125g/ 1/2 cup water
- 125g/1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon caster or superfine sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 150g/5ozs plain flour
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup finely grated gruyere cheese plus 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top
- 1 egg, beaten extra
gruyere Bechamel Sauce
- 4 cups milk
- 60grams butter
- 1/3 cup plain flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of gruyere cheese grated
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon piment d’espelette chilli powder (optional)
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 190C/380F. Place the butter, milk, water, sugar & salt into a saucepan to boil. Add flour and then stir the mix with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes until the batter pulls away from the side of the pot. Remove from heat. Place mix into a mixing bowl.
2. While beating the mix with paddle, gradually add the eggs and cheese. Store overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Pipe mixture into small balls on a baking tray lined with silicon/baking paper making sure to leave an inch space between them. With the extra beaten egg and a fork dipped lightly in it flatten the poking up tips by making a cross hatch pattern on top. I find I need to re-dip the fork in the egg after ever three presses or so. Sprinkle with extra cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 190C/380F and then turn oven down and bake at 160c/320F for another 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the bechamel sauce. Firstly heat the milk up-I always find this easier to incorporate warm milk into a bechamel but you can use cold milk. In a saucepan heat the butter and once melted, “cook” the flour in the butter, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk whisking at the same time adding 1/2 cup at a time until it is a smooth consistency. Add finely grated cheese, nutmeg, salt and piment d’espelette if using and allow to cool. If it is lumpy, pass through a sieve (not too fine a sieve though).
5. When the bechamel is cool and the choux buns are ready, poke a small hole at the bottom of the choux buns (I used the end of a chopstick) and wriggle it around a bit. Then place a small tip (about the size of the hole) in a piping bag and fill it with the bechamel sauce. Serve with wine. Or just eat a dozen by themselves. I won’t tell anyone.
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78 Comments | Add your own
Beautifully done, I plan to learn making choux pastry myself this winter (its one of my winter goals–something to keep me from focusing on how cold I am LOL).
One food I think everyone should try: hot Krispy Kreme orginal glazed donuts
*kisses* HH
I never had gruyere before. How does it taste like?
Yummo! What a way to be introduced to gougeres! I remember those creme caramels – they were all the rage in the 80′s weren’t they?!
I love anything cheese, and cheese bechamel filling sounds so yummy!
Yum, as soon as I read the title I new I would be making these. I was hooked on everything French when I was in high school, I made onion soup and gruyere cheese gourgeres every chance I had. I haven’t made either since the late 80′s, needless to say I am over 30
I can’t wait to make them again. I might have to start making soufles and mousses again too! Eacargo in garlic butter sauce! I should have tries his earlier, yum!
These look soooo good. Love your food styling too. One food everyone should try – hmm, I think peking duck!
a dozen sounds good
Mmm, I’d happily scoff all four dozen of these
I absolutely love Gourgeres. It’s so much fun to make and really delicious. The bechamel sauce just makes you go back for seconds every time.
These sound amazing!! I’ve never had one! Cheese + pastry = 2 of my favourite things
Cheesy goodness in all forms floats my boat, but these look great! Yum
pannacotta!
With Melbourne Cup party at my place shortly – this one’s a keeper!
Thanks,
Bye
A
oh my – it is when I see posts like these that I really wish I could reach into the computer screen and take one!!!
You know, I don’t think I’ve every had a savory choux pastry. Sounds like I’m missing out!
I love gougere! The problem isn’t in eating them, it’s stopping!
I love French food, French food loves me a little too much (it won’t take the hint and leave my hips!) but I am definitely going to try this. Thanks for another great recipe Lorraine
Oh boy these look a little too naughty! I’ll have to wait til I’m having people over to try it out or I fear the dozen will disappear into my mouth.
I can’t name just one thing everyone should try but chocolate macaroons at La Duree are probably at the top of my list. I’m drooling just thinking about them.
Oh yum! I have made choux pastry several times- the last incarnation was turned into churros, but I have made gougeres, so I am anxious to try your recipe. What does the inside look like- is the bechamel all runny when you bit into it or does it solidify a bit? Picture, please! Oh wait, you would have eaten them all by now, eh? You rock!
I meant to say that I have NEVER made gougeres….d’oh!
How lucky to get a convenient all-ready made batch of choux to play with. I love these little cheese puffs, too, especially when they’re still warm enough to toast your fingers.
I’ve been meaning to make these babies for so long! Keep making sweet varieties though, well I have 4 more years to try them then
hehehe oh and love the mobile compatible format 
I’m still obsessed with all things French and still trying to learn the language after all these years. Strangely though, I’m somewhat fluent in ‘menu French’… hahaha
A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y YUM, TRUE!
ANOTHER thing you inspire me “to do!”
Who could resist something this fun in the mouth with cheese!
OH YES! This DOES please!
Thanks!
I still buy creme caramels from Woolies about every month as a special treat for my partner. He loves them! (and so do I)
ohh these looks wonderful did u leave some for me lorraine?
These look divine!! I can’t bake at all
Oh no – here I am at 50 having never tried a gougere. Sounds like that must be remedied soon. xoxo Mum
I know I’m meant to be focused on the gougeres, but honestly I can’t get past how gorgeous the flowers in your photo are!
I have taught Josh how to make choux pastry as it really is such a wonderful base to so many delicious dishes.
Thank goodness I’m not 30 yet.. because I too haven’t tried these little darlin’s.
I’ve never made choux pastry before nor have I had Cheese Gougeres, but they look fantastic. This will go on my list of things I to try over the Christmas/New Year holiday period.
OH my goodness, I’m dying for one (or 10) of these! They sound SO GOOD.
I just learned how to make gougeres, and I’m way over 30.
Filling them with bechamel sounds lovely- I’m going to try that the next time I make them. Thanks!
I love little choux puffs, they are so cute and these must be so rich! I think everyone whould try… The food that scares them most. Just don’t tell them what it is and I bet they’ll love it!!
Delicious looking snack, Lorraine & perfect with a drink!
I once worked with someone who was horrified to find out that a new international colleague had never had a Tim Tam. She raced straight out to the shop and bought him 2 packs!
Oh my giddy aunt! These sound divine…so on my list. (And I am supposed to be dropping a few kgs for summer!) Your torment me!
I have pretty much the same problem with gougeres as I do with Pringles potato crisps: once I pop, I can’t stop!
6pm Wine o clock!
Those must be hyper delicious! Cheese gougüres are to die for.
Cheers,
Rosa
Aha- I have had gougeres, but not filled with bechamel! I think I would taste it somewhere first, instead of making them, so I know if I’m on the right track. Any leftovers!?
Very,lovely & very addictive.
I think there must be a trend going on here…. I just made the same things, but did not fill them with anything. Just plenty and plenty of gruyere cheese. How heavenly are those bites….? Perfect and also very very dangerous. It seems on ewill never be enough.
You never fail to make me hungry! YUM! xo
I have never tried Gougeres! I’ve never even heard of them. They look simply delicious. I must try them, definitely before I’m 30. I think everyone should try lemon gelati
Heidi xo
I haven’t tried them and will make sure I do before I turn 30 in 2 years time, they seem delicious!!
Nothing beats French cuisine. Thanks for a divine recipe Lorraine.
Ooops, passed the 30 mark without trying these…
OOh – yum! They look so perfectly round and brown!
As much as I love eating things like this I wish I had the inclination to make them !
Oh yeah, I’d happily eat a dozen and a half or more! Cheese and carbs, doesn’t get any better than that!
Great snack.. I can see why they would be addictive! The nice thing about little choux balls is they have a naturally hollow center just asking for something wonderful to go inside! Creamy cheesy goodness is just the ticket.
Sob sob! I have never tried gougere before…..
These really look and sound fantastic! Beautiful photos!
LOL I remember those creme caramels, they were oh so sophisticated. Love your choice of descriptives – shimmying is especially good
OMG, do you know the way to a girl’s heart, Lorraine! I haven’t made choux pastry in so long — Mike went through this phase a couple years ago where he loved cream puffs so I would make them for him. While I love gougeres I’ve never tried my hand at them, yours sound perfect with Mornay in the center!
hi lorraine, this sounds so amaizing! i cant wait to give this a try soon. thank you for sharing this.
These look so elegant and tasty!
Ooo, those sound DELICIOUS!
How funny that such a nice restaurant used to be a strip club – best opening line!
They look sooooo good. I do think I would mess this recipe up though – I think it’s just cheese and bikkies with wine at our house!
They turned out perfect!! I fell in love with these little guys the first time I had it at Jacques Reymond in Melbourne…so damn good!
WOW! Lorraine, these sound amazing.
I’ve never had them but simply HAVE to now. 
Will doing it before I’m 40 be OK?
Speaking of choux, everyone should try Beard Papa’s Cream Puffs and eclairs. I think anything in choux is my favorite foods and I’ve never had them with cheese. Now I’m curious.
I’ve made these with a cream cheese filling but I think a bechamel sauce would be even better – I agree that everyone should taste these – I must hunt out a recipe for a pie using choux pastry.
Oh no I am over 30 and I have never had one of these. I have never tried making choux pastry either.
Maybe the time has come.. Anything to have with wine is fabulous!
wowww. i love the bechamel sauce idea!
I absolutely adore gougère and love making them. They are very sophisticated while being outrageously delicious. Try and gorge on them while still appearing sophisticated and elegant.
These look & sound delicious!
Oh my, these look amazing. I’m over 30 and haven’t tried gougeres yet – they’re on the to-do/to-make list now!
yum! i envision myself eating these like candy, popping them into my mouth one after another.
i think everyone who thinks they hate okra should try it fried. it’s amazing.
Oh these Gougeres, are gorgeously delish!!
missed them @ French fridays and am looking foward to bake them again sooonnnn…
HELP!! I’m turning 30 in January and I’ve never tried these! i LOVE cheese like nothing else! where can you buy these in Sydney???
Oh My Blog, are you telling me you’re over 30? Get out of town!
Must be all the fantastic food
You look great!
Btw, would really like to try these, but a tad nervous having never made anything similar. Great post!
Looks fantastic Lorraine!
oupps I missed that post where you say so many things about france !!! But this is criminy to stuff with Bechamel !!! you could have be submitted to the Guillotine for that during the French revolution !!!Pierre
I’m making this for french class :3 thanks for the recipe
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