Looking for a new appetizer? Impress your friends...gougère!

Here's a guest post from Chop and Stir reader Emily Donahue. Thanks to Emily and son Chris for this recipe. Something fun to try out for one of your holiday parties.

This must be the season for making a gougère. Folks at my office were talking about them today, letting me know that you can make them ahead of time, spoon them onto your sheet pan, and freeze them on the pan ahead of time. Just before your guests arrive, remove the pan from the freezer, bring to room temperature, and then bake.  I'll try that sometime soon and report back.

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When I moved to Paris in 2002, my new kitchen was 4'X6'. It still is.  However, I have enjoyed the challenge of cooking in a small space.  Since many cooks are faced with the same cramped quarters, I thought sharing some of my creations might give confidence to the closet cook!

Gougère- this yummy appetizer can be made as a single ring, or baked as separate smaller mouthfuls. Either way, it is a crunchy change from bread or crackers and cheese, and complements any pre-dinner beverage.


1 cup milk, salt and pepper, 2oz butter in a pan.

Bring to a boil.

4 oz flour all at once into the boiling mix

Stirring with a wooden spoon till you have a mass

Off the heat, add egg #1

Fold in egg # 2

Add egg #3 - the dough is getting shiny, which is key

3 oz of cheese- I used fontina - should be small pieces

Mix until cheese is pretty well incorporated

tablespoons plopped in a circle - use two spoons

second row of plops on top of the first row

smoothed a bit with a knife - brushed with milk

cooked at 375 without peeking until firm in middle - about 45 minutes

The done test is always tricky.  Keep peeking through the window until you see that the gougère is nicely puffed and browned,then quickly check with a toothpick to see that there is not a lot of uncooked dough--the toothpick should come out clean.  There is a chance that it can fall, but taking it out too soon ensures that it will deflate! 

As insurance against undercooking, the oven can be then turned off for another five minutes with the gougère still inside.  

Cut with a serrated knife to help keep it from falling. Enjoy!