{Gougères} Pancetta Fontina French Cheese Puffs Recipe — Salt & Wind Travel (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between profiteroles and gougères? ›

What Gougeres taste like. They're crusty on the outside, soft and hollow on the inside, and they're very, very cheesy. Essentially, they are the savoury cheesy version of everybody's favourite Profiteroles!

Gougères are small puffs made from choux pastry mixed with grated cheese, usually Gruyère or a similar French alpine cheese (though many other semi-firm cheeses, like cheddar, will work). They're baked until puffed and hollow, crisp and golden on the outside and tender within.

The secret to gougères' puff is the addition of eggs, but here's the thing — too many eggs and the dough will be too wet to properly puff. Whats more, the number of eggs your dough will need varies depending on the flour you use, how long you cooked the paste, and the weather (seriously!

Where do gougères come from? Although we know the dough was first introduced to France by the cooks of Catherine de Medici during the Renaissance, a certain mystery still hangs over the origin of the gougère. According to some historians, it appeared for the first time on the menu of a feast in Sens in 1571.

A gougère (French: [ɡuʒɛʁ]), in French cuisine, is a baked savory choux pastry made of choux dough mixed with cheese.

Profiteroles, commonly known as cream puffs, are a delightful choux pastry that are both rich in flavor, yet light in texture.

You may see them as small croutons at wine tastings, or 1.5”-2” filled with cheese or ham or mushrooms as an hors d'oeuvre. They are thought to have originated in the Burgundy region of France in the 18th century.

The origins of the gougere we know today are a little uncertain. Choux pastry itself was introduced to France by Catherine de' Medici's chefs in the 1500s, and some claim the first iteration of a gougere was on a menu in Sens in 1571.

Gougères freeze beautifully.

First, follow directions for making gougères. (My Everyday French Cookbook has a great recipe, of course. But if you don't have my book, you can rely on this recipe from The Kitchn). Then, follow these instructions, either before baking or after.

Shelf-life & Refeshing your Choux

You can keep the Choux in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They will feel soggy when you take them out so it's important to put them in a 175°C oven for about 5 minutes. That will dry and crisp them back up. ..But I suggest to use,the same day you make them, so much better.

Why do you put water in choux pastry? ›

Water: Helps to bind flour and fat together to make a dough. In choux pastry water is converted to steam or water vapour, which acts as the raising agent.

When you want to store uncooked choux pastry for a day or two, you can place them in an airtight container (or piping bag, with both ends tightly closed) in the fridge.

Baked Gougères can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container. For serving, reheat them on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in an oven at 350°F (180°C).

According to one account, Edward Wilson noticed strings of puffed corn oozing from flaking machines in the mid 1930s at the Flakall Corporation of Beloit, Wisconsin, a producer of flaked, partially cooked animal feed. He experimented and developed it into a snack. Clarence J.

Later, French chef Marie - Antoine Carême had the inspiration to fill the choux with cream. This is how the profiterole reached its current form. As far as the name profiterole, we can trace it in the English language back in 1600, deriving from the French langauge.

The main difference between Eclairs and Profiteroles is the shape given to the Choux Pastry: one is thin and long while the other one is small and round. The filling is often also different. An eclair is always filled with a cream (whipped cream, pastry cream,...)

Profiteroles are made from choux pastry. It is made as a batter from flour, water, eggs and butter. It is piped through a pastry bag, and the steam from cooking causes them to puff up. They are very light, and almost hollow, allowing them to be filled with cream or ice cream very easily.

FAQ and Recipe Tips

Cream puffs and profiteroles are often used interchangeably to mean the same thing. They are both choux pastry-based puffs filled with a cream filling. The main difference between the two is that profiteroles are filled with ice cream instead of pastry cream.