A few years ago I was fortunate enough to spend three weeks on the French Riveria. We stayed in Cannes, but visited other cities throughout Provence. Three weeks was ample time to start absorbing some of the culture. We enjoyed the flea markets and antique fairs, but the farmer’s market was the most colorful display of fruit, vegetables, baked goods and flowers I have ever experienced. One afternoon, I even purchased a French cooking magazine and amused myself by translating the recipes with the assistance of a French to English website. 

On our last Sunday there, our friends Brigitte and Mabrouk invited us to have brunch at their home.  We sat around the pool of their gorgeous home, which has a lovely view of the Mediterranean, drinking Mimosas while savoring not only the view, but also the wonderful hors d’oeuvres Brigitte had prepared. These “cheese puffs” were particularly delicious, and we ate as many as possible yet still considered ourselves polite. They were made from cream puff pastry dough with the addition of a wonderful French Gruyere cheese and a pinch of cayenne pepper and nutmeg, just for a little surprise.  (Nutmeg adds a depth of flavor to cheeses like Gruyere, Swiss and Parmesan.) These treats bake up light and tasty.

Here’s the recipe Brigitte was kind enough to share.  Don’t be intimidated by the French name.  It’s really quite simple to prepare, and I know you will be delighted with the results. 

Gougères Au Fromage (French Cheese Puffs)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 1 tsp salt

• Pinch of cayenne

• Pinch of nutmeg

• 1¼ cup flour

• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

Directions:

Add to a sauce pan 1 cup of water, 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Bring the ingredients to a boil, then remove from heat. In that same sauce pan, add all of the flour at once. Now stir with a wooden spoon until flour is well incorporated and forms a ball. 

Transfer the dough into the bowl of a mixer and add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Add in the Gruyere cheese (the dough will be soft) using either the mixer on low or by folding it in with a spoon. 

Using a table-spoon sized cookie scoop, drop dollops of dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake each cookie sheet at 375°F for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and crusty to the touch.  Turn off heat and allow to rest in oven for 5 minutes. 

Tools:

I’ve included a few tools that I’ve found useful to help me create these delicious hors d’oeuvres.