Sweet Cheese Puffs Recipes

CHEESE PUFFS (GOUGERES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Combine the flour with the salt, black pepper, thyme, chili powder, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
• Put the milk and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. When the butter melts, turn heat to low. Add the seasoned flour all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the dough forms a ball. Remove from heat.
• Separate the white and yolk from one egg, reserving the yolk for glazing.
• Put the dough into a large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed for one minute. Then beat in one egg and the extra egg white. Beat until completely absorbed into the dough. Then add the remaining 4 eggs, one at a time, waiting each time until the previous egg is completely absorbed. After all 5 eggs (plus the one egg white) have been incorporated, the dough should be smooth and satiny.
• Add the Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses, and pepperoni if you are using it. Incorporate thoroughly into the dough.
• Use a pastry bag to pipe dough onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. You can also drop dough from a teaspoon. For tiny puffs, mounds should be about 1/2 inch in diameter. From small appetizers, mounds should be 1 inch in diameter. For puffs large enough for filling, mounds should be 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Keep the size of the puffs uniform so they bake properly. Space puffs about 1 inch apart.
• Beat the remaining egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of milk to make a glaze. Lightly brush the tops of the puffs with glaze before baking. Sprinkle tops with your Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes (5 minutes for tiny puffs). Reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Bake 10 minutes more for tiny puffs; 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium or large puffs, or until puffs are golden brown. Test by removing a puff from the oven and breaking it open. The inside should be baked through. If it is still doughy or wet, bake another 5 minutes.
• Remove pans from oven and leave puffs on pans until cool enough to serve.

PASTRY PUFFS W/SWEET CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Position knife blade in food processor. Add flour and butter and pulse 4 or 5 timestil mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add sour cream and egg.
• Process til dough forms a ball and leaves sides of bowl.
• Divide in half, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill 6-8 hours.
• Roll out each ball of pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 1/8" thickness.
• Cut pastry into 3" squares.
• Gently press each square into a 1 3/4" muffin pan leaving corners extending beyond edge.
• Spoon 1 teaspoons filling into each prepared shell.
• Fold corners over filling and pinch together at the top.
• Chill 30 minutes.
• Bake at 375º for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• Cheese filling:.
• To make the cheesecake-like filling, beat all ingredients at medium speed til smooth and fluffy.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over medium heat, until scalded. Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.
• Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside.

CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Heat, without boiling, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan: 1/2 cup water, 3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• When the butter has melted, stir in, all at once: 1/2 cup flour.
• Keep stirring vigorously until the mixture coheres and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Keep stirring for another minute over the heat, then transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. (Stirring will speed up the cooling process.)
• Beat in, one at a time: 2 eggs.
• Beat in the first egg thoroughly before adding the next. Stir in: 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup).
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (not necessary, but it makes cleanup easier). Spoon the dough onto the baking sheets in spoonfuls either 1 or 2 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches apart. You can also pipe out the puffs with a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch plain tip.
• Bake undisturbed for 10 minutes, at 400°F. Lower the temperature to 375°F and bake for 15 minutes more. The puffs should be golden brown and crisp on the outside. With a sharp pointed knife, pierce each warm puff with a small slit to let out the steam, which helps them stay crisp. Serve right away. The puffs can be recrisped and reheated in a 375°F oven for 3 minutes.
• Variation
• In place of the cheese, use 2 or 3 salt-packed anchovies, soaked, filleted, and chopped.