Gougeres are savory cream puffs made with cheese in the dough and baked on top. Once puffed and cooled, fill them with this intensely flavored mushroom bechamel to make the perfect 2 bite party appetizer.
freshly ground pepper(black or white--either is fine)
1Tablespoonall purpose flour
6oz3/4 cup whole milk
¼cupduxelles(recipe follows)
For the Duxelles
1cupcleaned and trimmed mushrooms, sliced or cut into pieces
1Tablespoonunsalted butterdivided
2Tablespoonsminced shallot
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
about 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2Tablespoonsdry white wine or dry sherry
Instructions
For the Gougeres
Preheat your oven to 450F and set a rack in the middle. Be proud of yourself that you remembered to do this first.
Bring the water, milk, salt, Herbes de Provence and butter to a boil.
Dump in the flour all at once and cook over medium heat, stirring manically, until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes, pulls away from the sides of the pan and into a big clump and leaves a slight, dry film on the inside of the pan, about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or prepare to stir madly awhile longer.
Mix for a minute or so to cool off the dough, then add almost all the beaten egg (reserve about a Tablespoon) and mix in thoroughly. Test to see if batter runs very slowly off the end of the beater and ends in a point. If it doesn't flow or it ends in a raggedy point, add the rest of the egg and beat it in. You should be good to go.
Thoroughly mix in 2/3 of the grated cheese.
Drop about 2 teaspoons of the dough into tiny mounds on a Silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave about 1" of space between each wee mound. You can pipe them if you want, but it goes quickly with spoons too.
With a wet finger, press down any little points of dough that might be sticking up.
Divide the last ounce of cheese evenly among the wee gougeres and bake for ten minutes.
Reduce the heat to 375F and bake another 10 minutes. You may need to cover the pan loosely with foil at the five-minute mark.
Reduce the heat to 325F and bake for another 10 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.
Turn off the oven, crack the door open and let the gougeres cool to just warm.
Fill each puff with about 1-2 teaspoons of the bechamel aux champignons.
For the Bechamel
Melt the butter over medium heat. When it's sizzling, add the flour.
Stir well and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until it's a golden blonde color. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the milk slowly, whisking all the while to prevent lumps.
Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently.
When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and keep it at a low simmer, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened.
Put the bechamel in your blender and add the duxelles. Blend on low speed. It doesn't have to be completely smooth, but it needs to be smooth enough that you can pipe it without little bits getting stuck in your piping tip. Cool to warm.
For the Duxelles
Mince the mushrooms very finely in the bowl of your food processor. If you have a mini one, now would be the perfect time to use it.
Melt half the butter over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir until they release their juices. Cook some more, stirring, until the mushrooms are dry again and have darkened in color.
Add the second half of the butter along with the minced shallot and the thyme.
Cook until the shallots have softened.
Add the wine and cook until dry.
Notes
You can make the duxelles the day before and refrigerate it until you're ready for it. Make the bechamel while your gougeres are in the oven.