I don't bake.
That being said, this entire post is about... you guessed it: Baking!
Because for a minute there I thought I could.
I mean all you have to do is follow a recipe, for goodness sake.
How hard can that be?
But as most people who know their way around a kitchen can tell you, baking and cooking are NOT the same. And cookie exchange 2011 reinforced my previous conviction that I am not,
and probably never will be, a baker.
But I accepted the cookie challenge head on, and even decided that I would try my hand at meringues. Peppermint ones, dipped in dark chocolate and sprinkled with crushed candy canes. Sounds divine, right?
These were my inspiration, along with the recipe from my new favorite cooking mag: Bon Appetit.
They should have included some sort of warning that meringues are not for the novice baker.
Mine were sticky and chewy, not puffy and crunchy.
But I handed them out all the same.
I haven't heard much from those ladies since the exchange...I doubt I'll be invited to next year's.
So after that debacle, you'd think I'd have learned that my talents lie elsewhere, and baking should be left to those more qualified.
But nooooooo, I see a post on one of my fave food blogs while waiting for our flight so SF for something called Gougères and decide that I MUST make them for Christmas dinner.
No time for a trial run.
I've never tasted these things before,
I can barely even pronounce them (goo-jair)
They are French, which I interpret as difficult.
And they require that particular skill I lack: the ability to bake.
But I am compelled, I must have these for Christmas dinner!
Basically Gougères are just pate a choux with some extra ingredients.
Have you ever had profiteroles? That's pate a choux.
So I scour the Internet for a simpler version of these delightful puffs of deliciousness.
Success, thank you food network. I found a basic recipe that I changed up with some rosemary and Gruyere.
Minimal ingredients, simple process.
There they are, baking away...
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| Terrible oven pic |
First attempt: success!
These things were easy peasy! And the bang for your buck and wow factor are extremely high.
Light, airy, cheesy, yum.
And the best part? You can make them ahead, pop them in the freezer and have them on hand when needed.
So sadly, there is no peppermint meringue recipe for you today.
Happily I am leaving you with the much better one for Gougères.
The variations are endless!
Gougères
Basic Recipe
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons sugar
6 tablespoons butter, cut in pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour, sifted
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup grated Gruyere
1 Tbsp fresh chopped Rosemary (or more/less to taste)
1 Tbsp fresh chopped Rosemary (or more/less to taste)
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degrees (I used a convection oven and was not so thrilled, I prefer the regular kind)
In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the water, salt, sugar, and butter to a boil, making sure the butter is completely melted. Off the heat, add the flour all at once and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon. Return to the heat and continue beating until the dough forms a solid, smooth mass and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan. Take off the heat and empty the dough into a clean mixing bowl. Little by little add the beaten eggs, beating vigorously in between each addition, until the dough forms a smooth, supple mass. Add the grated cheese, chopped fresh rosemary and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper to the pate a choux. With a kitchen spoon, scoop the pate a choux into approximately 25 (1-inch) round mounds, spaced 1 to 2 inches apart on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (If you are making ahead and freezing, here is where you pop the baking sheet into the freezer for 30 minutes, then remove the semi-frozen gougeres from them and pop into a freezer bag to be used later) Brush lightly with the beaten egg and place in the oven. Cook until golden and puffed, about 25 minutes*. Remove from the oven and cool briefly on a baking rack. Serve hot or at room temperature.
*If frozen, add a few minutes onto cooking time.
I am starting to rethink this baking thing again...
Enjoy!
