Summer's been so relaxing. I guess I didn't realize how time was flying. How've your summers been? Let me know in the comments :) As for myself, the days have been filled with friends, family, and lounging at the pool. Sprinkle in a few weeks helping at the parents' store, a short run of VBS, and two day trips to Cville, and you've got the gist down pat.
While I haven't kept up with the blog, I've been in the kitchen. I'm not much of a baker, but I've done two trials of biscotti for a different post, so watch for that :D Spoiler: my first batch was horrendous in true sucky baker fashion.
Forgive me for all of the pics in this post, none of which were taken in natural lightning.
Last night, I made cheddar cheese puffs for an appetizer. Super elegant and easy, homies. If you wanna get all fancypants widdit, call 'em gougeres with a French accent. They're basically savory versions of unfilled cream puffs. Be warned that cheese puffs aren't healthy, requiring a whole stick o' butta (for about 25-35 puffs, depending on size). Even though they were Xtremely tasty, so tasty that Xtreme doesn't start with an 'e', I could feel the puffs makin me puff in some unwanted places, namsayin'? I stopped eating after about 3 of them (or something
).
Last night, I made cheddar cheese puffs for an appetizer. Super elegant and easy, homies. If you wanna get all fancypants widdit, call 'em gougeres with a French accent. They're basically savory versions of unfilled cream puffs. Be warned that cheese puffs aren't healthy, requiring a whole stick o' butta (for about 25-35 puffs, depending on size). Even though they were Xtremely tasty, so tasty that Xtreme doesn't start with an 'e', I could feel the puffs makin me puff in some unwanted places, namsayin'? I stopped eating after about 3 of them (or something
).
yummy specks of pepper and thyme. The inside of the puff looks really mushy, but really it's the melted cheddar.
The only thing that comforts me is that the puffs are hollow, so you're not taking in as many carbs as you'd suspect from the outside. Hehe. Pate a choux produces profiteroles (cream puffs), eclaires, cheese puffs and NUN'S FARTS among other things, depending on how you prepare it. If you're making gougeres, try to stay away from high-moisture content cheese like mozzarella. They're traditionally made with gruyere and other hard cheeses. But yay for adaptability! I just finished making cream puffs, but I filled them with fat free vanilla ice cream instead of creamcream. SOOO GOOOD! My mom turned spastic when she ate hers :)
o haaaaay, sis! and ice cream puffz.
Wherever you look, the basic recipe is pretty much the same. Because of that, I can't really cite a single website, so I'll repost everything here with my adaptations and notes.Basic Pate A Choux
1 c milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp kosher salt for savory pastries, or 2 tsp sugar + pinch of salt for sweet pastries
1 c flour
4 eggs, room temp
1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water
Bring milk, butter and salt (or sugar) to a boil on medium high. Take off heat and stir in flour all at once. Return to heat, stirring the dough until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and forms a smooth ball. Stir on med-low heat for 1-2 more minutes to get rid of excess moisture. Take off heat and turn stove off. Let the paste cool off for 3-5 minutes. Whether by hand or with a mixer, incorporate the 4 eggs, one at a time (at first, the eggs won't seem to mix in, but keep stirring until the dough is smooth again). The dough/batter should slowly "tear" or drip off your spoon, leaving a hanging "V" shape. Add whatever flavorings at this time (1/2 cup grated cheese of your choice at this point for gougeres. I also added fresh cracked pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and thyme). Fill a piping bag or large ziploc bag with the dough, and pipe little mounds (about 1 Tbsp or golf ball size) onto parchment paper, 2 inches apart. Try to pipe with the bag standing vertically at all times for even distribution. Wet your finger and pat down any dough peaks, which will burn otherwise. Brush each mound with your last egg+water mixture. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, and 350F for another 10-15 mins or so. Try not to open the oven door, since steam is what causes your puffs to puff! Keep an eye on your pastries during the 350F phase, because diff sizes require diff baking time. They're done when golden brown and puffy.
Shut off oven and take your pan out. Poke each puff with a toothpick to release excess moisture, and return to the cooling oven for 5 min. Serve as soon as possible, or freeze and reheat at 350F.
cheers, homies
t
