Cream Puffs Savory Recipes

GOUGèRES (FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS)

Steps:

• Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat it to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Bring the milk, butter, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to medium and, using a wooden spoon, immediately start stirring energetically. The dough will form into a ball and there will be a light film on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring for another two minutes or so to dry the dough: Dry dough will make puffier puffs.
• Turn the dough out into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or work by hand in a large bowl with a wooden spoon and elbow grease). Let the dough sit for a minute to cool, then add the eggs one by one, followed by the white, beating on medium speed until each one is incorporated before adding the next. The dough may look as though it's separating or falling apart -- just keep going, and by the time the egg white goes in, the dough will be smooth. Beat in the mustard, followed by the cheese. Give the dough a last mix-through by hand.
• Scoop or spoon out heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough (I use a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop), and drop the dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the mounds. (The scooped dough can be frozen on the baking sheets.)
• Slide the baking sheets into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375°F. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom. Continue baking until the gougères are puffed, golden, and firm enough to pick up, another 15 to 17 minutes. Serve immediately -- these are best directly from the oven. Storing: Although the puffs are best served hot out of the oven, they are still nice (although flatter) at room temperature that same day. If you want to keep baked puffs longer, freeze them and then reheat in a 350°F-oven for a few minutes.
• Make-Ahead/Freezer Instructions: Scoop the dough and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then pack them in an airtight container. You can bake them straight from the freezer; just give them a few more minutes in the oven.
• Note/Variation: Dorie adds ⅔ cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and chopped, to these gougères. My family prefers them without nuts but it's a nice variation to try. Add them along with the cheese.

CREAM PUFFS SAVORY

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and be careful not to burn. Add salt and beer and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
• 2. Add the flour all at once, and stir stir stir until it forms a ball and flour is completely mixed in. I have found that the Kitchen aid works well for this recipe using the plastic coated paddle. A wooden spoon can also be used.
• 3. Using a plastic paddle or wooden spoon, add one egg at a time beating until it is completely mixed in. Add one egg at a time and mix very well each time. (good work out if you are using the wooden spoon!) The dough will appear to be kind of sticky, but it is fine.
• 4. Using a teaspoon, drop a teaspoon of the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. These lil guys grow so give them 3 inches apart when dropping them onto your baking sheets.
• 5. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely. Cut each top almost all the way off, leaving a small "hinge" to hold it together.
• 6. These freeze well! Make up a batch to have on hand, unfilled. Then de-thaw them and fill them with your favorite spreads or anything savory that you like. If frozen, de-thaw them completely before stuffing.
• 7. A favorite of mine, is an artichoke spread which I will post as well. This spread is awesome with these puffs. It is also great just on crackers or as a dip.
• 8. My Artichoke filling can be found here: https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/appetizer/appetizer-vegetable-appetizer/artichoke-spread-filling-dip.html?co=a&cpage=1&drawer=notification-1&t=1386898813#comment1393812

SAVORY PROFITEROLES

Steps:

• Put water, butter, and salt in a pot and boil briefly or melt butter. Pour flour all at once (!) into the hot liquid. Stir with a (wooden) spoon until large dough ball forms and a thin white layer appears on the bottom of the pot; the "burning off" takes about 1 minute. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let cool slightly until the dough dumpling is lukewarm.
• Beat the eggs. Using a hand mixer, gradually stir one part of the egg mixture (never all at once) into the cooled dough dumpling. The dough should have the consistency of a sponge, i.e. it should not be too fluid. If in doubt, do not use the entire egg mixture, but leave some. Stir the baking powder into the choux pastry at the end.
• Preheat the oven to 380°F/190°C. Cover a baking sheet with baking paper. Using a piping bag, pipe large dots (or other shapes as desired) of the dough onto the baking sheet. Leave enough space because the choux pastry will rise during baking!
• Bake the cream puffs for about 20 minutes in a preheated oven. Do not open the door during this time! Cut lids off the finished profiteroles while they are still hot using scissors or a sharp knife.
• When the profiteroles are completely cool, put the cream cheese in a piping bag and squirt it on top. Alternatively, you can spread the cream with a teaspoon. Decorate with diced peppers and chives.

CLASSIC CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, sugar, salt and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and quickly stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to stir until a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from heat and transfer contents to a bowl to cool slightly, about 3 minutes. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously to entirely incorporate egg after each addition.
• For the egg wash, whisk together the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water. Set aside.
• Transfer the pate a choux to a large pastry bag fitted with a 5/8-inch plain tip. Pipe 1-1/2-inch rounds onto each prepared pan. Gently smooth the pointed peaks with a moistened finger, rounding tops to ensure even rising. Brush tops with reserved egg wash. Bake until puffs rise and are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Puffs can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Transfer pastry cream to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain round tip. Insert the tip into the opening of each pastry, and pipe to fill with pastry cream. Serve immediately.

CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Mix together vanilla instant pudding mix, cream and milk. Cover and refrigerate to set.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• In a large pot, bring water and butter to a rolling boil. Stir in flour and salt until the mixture forms a ball. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon or stand mixer, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Centers should be dry.
• When the shells are cool, either split and fill them with the pudding mixture, or use a pastry bag to pipe the pudding into the shells.

HAM AND CHEESE CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise and milk until blended. Stir in the ham, cheese, pepper, chives, parsley and garlic. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use., In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder to a boil. Add flour all at once and stir until a smooth ball forms., Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and shiny. Stir in the cheese, parsley and chives., Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove tops and set aside. Discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs. , Just before serving, fill cream puffs with ham mixture. Sprinkle with additional parsley and chives.

SAVORY VEGETARIAN CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Line a baking sheet or baking stone with a silicone liner or parchment paper.
• Place water, butter, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is melted and dissolved, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add flour all at once and cook, stirring vigorously, until a ball of dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the pan, 15 to 30 seconds.
• Transfer dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Let cool, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium-low speed after each addition, until batter is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the batter into 2-inch mounds by squeezing close to the sheet and slowly pulling up.
• Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffy, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until shells are crispy and set, 13 to 15 minutes more.
• Place goat cheese, dill, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Mix until filling is creamy and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Pipe filling into the bottom of each shell until filled.

SWEET OR SAVORY PATE A CHOUX

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Boil water, butter, and salt or sugar. Add flour and remove from heat. Work mixture together and return to heat. Continue working the mixture until all flour is incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture into bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 or 4 minutes. With mixer on stir or lowest speed add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and the mixture is smooth put dough into piping bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe immediately into golfball-size shapes, 2 inches apart onto parchment lined sheet pans. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Once they are removed from the oven pierce with a paring knife immediately to release steam.

CREAM PUFFS

Steps:

• To make the cream puffs: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large saucepan, bring the water, butter, salt, and granulated sugar to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, immediately take the pan off the heat. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add all the flour at once and stir hard until all the flour is incorporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring, 30 seconds to evaporate some of the moisture.
• Scrape the mixture into a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed. With the mixer running, and working 1 egg at a time, add 3 of the eggs, stopping after each addition to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix until the dough is smooth and glossy and the eggs are completely incorporated. The dough should be thick, but should fall slowly and steadily from the beaters when you lift them out of the bowl. If the dough is still clinging to the beaters, add the remaining egg and mix until incorporated.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip, pipe the dough onto the baking sheet, in 2-inch diameter rounds or balls. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 1/2 teaspoons water. Brush the surface of the rounds with the egg wash to knock down the points (you may not use all the egg wash). Bake 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until puffed up, and light golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Try not to open the oven door too often during the baking. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• To fill the cream puffs, place a pastry tip on your finger and poke a whole in the bottom of each puff. Whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until stiff. Pipe whipped cream into each cream puff and chill until ready to serve, no more than 4 hours.
• Notes about the recipe: The moisture in the eggs turns to steam and puffs the batter to try to release itself. You can fill them with anything.