Buttermilk Gougères
The secret to a successful choux is confidence in the drying stage. You want to steam off enough moisture so the dough pulls away from the pan, leaving a thin film on the bottom before you begin adding the eggs.
Watch the moisture in the dough
Ensure your eggs are at room temperature to avoid cooling the dough too quickly, which prevents it from emulsifying properly.
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Stand mixer or hand whisk
- Piping bag with a large round tip
- Baking sheet lined with parchment
What goes in.
- 1/2 cupwater
- 1/2 cupbuttermilk
- 1 stick (8 tbsp)unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 1 cupall-purpose flour
- 4large eggs
- 1 1/2 cupsGruyère cheese, finely grated
- 1/2 tspfreshly ground black pepper
- pinchnutmeg
Adding eggs at the right temperature
Add the eggs one at a time, waiting until the dough has fully absorbed each one before adding the next. If the mixture looks oily or separated, keep beating; it will come back together.
The method.
Heat the base
Combine water, buttermilk, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a rolling boil.
Cook the flour
Remove from heat, dump in the flour all at once, and stir vigorously. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the dough forms a ball and leaves a thin, starch-coated film on the bottom of the pan.
Incorporate eggs
Transfer the dough to a bowl. Add the eggs one by one, beating thoroughly after each addition. The dough should eventually be thick, glossy, and pull off the spoon in a 'V' shape.
Fold and pipe
Fold in the grated cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Pipe 1-inch mounds onto your lined baking sheet.
Bake
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, then lower to 350°F (175°C) and bake for another 10-15 minutes until deep golden brown and firm to the touch.
Other turns to take.
Herbed
Add one tablespoon of finely minced fresh chives or thyme to the dough when you fold in the cheese.
Sharp Cheddar
Replace Gruyère with an aged, sharp cheddar for a more pronounced bite.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Poke a small hole in the side of each puff immediately after pulling them from the oven to let steam escape, which prevents them from turning soggy.
Do not open the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking, or they will collapse.
Grate your cheese by hand rather than buying pre-shredded; pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch that prevents it from melting smoothly into the dough.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I freeze these?
Yes. Pipe the mounds onto a tray and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding 5 minutes to the initial bake time.
Why did my puffs flatten?
Usually because the dough was too wet when the eggs were added or the oven door was opened too early.