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Cook the Book: White Cheddar Puffs with Green Onions

Posted by Michele Humes, December 19, 2008 at 1:00 PM

You may also know today's Cook the Book dish, white cheddar puffs with green onions, as gougères. Though they're traditionally made with Swiss gruyère, Bon Appétit's cheddar and scallion variation is distinctly American. Essentially a savory version of the choux pastry used to make profiteroles and éclairs, the puffy, golden domes somehow manage to be both rich and airy at the same time.

White Cheddar Puffs with Green Onions

- makes about 4 dozen -
Adapted from The Bon Appétit Fast East Fresh Cookbook by Barbara Fairchild

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt plus additional for sprinkling
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups (packed) grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
2/3 cup minced green onions

Procedure:

1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring 1 cup water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat; mix in flour. Stir over medium heat until mixture becomes slightly shiny and pulls away from sides of pan, about 3 minutes. Transfer to stand mixer fitted with paddle. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition to form sticky dough. Mix in cheese and green onions.

2. Using 2 teaspoons, form dough into 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch ovals; drop onto baking sheet 1 inch apart. (Can be made ahead. Wrap in plastic, then foil. Refrigerate up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake cheese puffs until golden, about 30 minutes if at room temperature and 35 minutes if chilled or frozen. Serve immediately.

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Tags: appetizers, Bon Appetit, cheese puffs, Cook the Book, entertaining, gougeres, hors d'oeuvres, Super Bowl appetizers