Bacon Dill Gougeres (Cheese Puffs)

Adapted slightly from Alain Ducasse

Lovely cheese puffs that are perfectly crispy on the outside, soft and cheesy on the inside, with a bit of bacon, garlic and dill flavors that make these little puffs a delectable treat.

I first encountered gougères on my first yoga interview. I got my 200 hour yoga teacher certification last November and have started teaching here and there. For my first yoga teacher job, there was no interview, no resume. I simply filled out an online application and mentioned some of my yoga friends as references (who work there) and I was hired for that job. I like it, but it is a “sub only” job, so I’ve been looking for a yoga gig where I actually have a regular class at the same time every week. So there was this other opportunity and he asked for a yoga resume. And then he wanted to meet at Queen City Bakery (a yoga INTERVIEW!) … Whoa. I felt so legit. I left my house with a full cup of chai tea in my mug … thinking I would drink it on the way, but I didn’t. I knew I should order SOMETHING there so I started gazing at all their delightful baked goods and I was intrigued when my eyes lit upon a bacon gougère. I had never heard of such a thing, but it looked lovely and I wanted to taste it.

So when my new yoga boss stepped up and introduced himself and asked would I like a cup of coffee, I said no, I didn’t need a cup of coffee, I wanted to try the gougère. He gladly purchased it for me. When I bit into it, I was in heaven and I knew this was something I needed to attempt at home. My hopes were to create something akin to my experience at the bakery, I was super surprised when it far exceeded that experience. There’s a bit of crunch on the outside, and a soft, tender inside, with that lovely smoky bacon-y flavor and a hint of dill, garlic and onion.

If you’ve never had a gougère, you really must try these! They’re freaking amazing.

Oh, and btw, my yoga interview went well. I really like the owner. I did a test class at the space and they like me and said they were going to fit me into the schedule! However, as it turned out, the yoga teacher who was moving away ended up staying longer, so they don’t need me yet. That’s fine. I have other yoga things going on now. Everything has its own time and I’m in no rush, not going anywhere.

Bacon Dill Gougeres (French Cheese Puffs)

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 24 - 30 Gougères 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 2 Tablespoons bacon butter (rendered fat from baked bacon)
• Large pinch of coarse salt
• A generous pinch of each: dried dill, onion powder, garlic powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
• 3 1/2 ounces shredded Gruyère, Dubliner and/or Asiago cheese (or a mix of the three), plus more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground pepper and freshly grated nutmeg

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 1 – 2 large baking sheets with a silicone baking mat.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter and bacon fat, salt and seasonings and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium low, add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the dough dries out and pulls away from the pan.
4. Scrape the dough into a medium mixing bowl and let cool for a minute or two. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring after each one until it’s fully incorporated into the dough, then stir in the bacon, cheese, pepper and nutmeg until all is well mixed.
5. Use a spoon to drop round bits of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving at least an inch or two of space around each one. Top each Gougère with a bit more cheese, then bake at 350 F. for about 22 minutes or until they puffs are a beautiful golden brown.

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Notes

Gougères freeze well! Just put them on a baking sheet, freeze and then put in a container or bag until close to serving time. Warm briefly in the oven.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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