12712 French Cheese and Bacon Puffs Makes about 36 puffs Wed Aug 06 07:52:26 -0700 2008 Fri Feb 06 10:54:34 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12712 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:54:34 GMT Having originated most likely in Burgundy, gougères are one of the most delectable of all French delicacies and are served everywhere both as a canapé with wine and, in small ramekins, as an appetizer to a meal. In Paris and throughout most of the northern provinces, the puffs are usually made only with Gruyère cheese, but in the mountainous central and eastern regions, where the pig is king, it's not unusual to find them studded with lardons made from smoked or unsmoked slab bacon. There are dozens of different ways to make these puffs, but I find that no technique is easier than simply dropping the batter by tablespoons onto a baking sheet, then letting the puffs crisp in the oven after they've baked. For the right texture, do not use a food processor to make this batter, and if you want to lighten your gougères (and enhance their flavor even more), use equal amounts of shredded Gruyère and grated Parmesan cheese.

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  • In a heavy saucepan, combine the water, butter, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour, and beat with a wooden spoon till a ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and add the eggs one at a time, beating with an electric mixer on high speed till the batter is just thick enough to hold soft peaks. Transfer the batter to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill briefly.
  • In a large skillet, fry the bacon dice over moderate heat till crisp and drain on paper towels.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a large baking sheet.
  • Fold the cheese and bacon into the prepared batter till well blended, then drop by tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the puffs 30 minutes, turn off the heat, and let stand till they are golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Serve the puffs warm.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com James Villas 50 Main 1 cup water

    ]]>     8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

    ]]>     ¼ teaspoon salt

    ]]>     1 cup all-purpose flour

    ]]>     4 large eggs

    ]]>     ½ pound slab bacon, rind removed, finely diced

    ]]>     1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

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