Why do my gougeres go flat?

4) Cook gougères thoroughly! Look for a golden brown color. If they are pale and not baked all the way through, they will collapse as they cool .

How do you stop choux pastry going soft?

As soon as the choux pastry comes out of the oven they must be turned over and a hole put into the bases. They are left upside down and put in the oven for a further 5 mminutes . This helps the steam to escape and stops the buns becoming soggy.

How do you keep puff pastry from drying out?

How to Store Baked Puff Pastry. Once baked, plain puff pastry can be stashed in an airtight container for up to a week. Filled pastries like these puff pastry danishes are best eaten right away. If you can't finish a batch in one go, store in a sealed container and enjoy the next day.

Why did my gougères not rise?

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!

Why does my choux pastry keep collapsing?

If the puffs collapse it means there was too much moisture in them . So either you did not dry the dough enough, or they were not cooked enough. To avoid this I recommend drying the dough really well (see below) and cracking the door of the oven open when the choux are baked.

Why don't my gougères puff up?

Adding an extra egg white to the dough provides more water, which turns to steam in the oven for better puffing . Starting the puffs in a hot 425-degree oven helps ensure that the interiors expand before the exteriors set.

Pub Gougères with Anchovy and Cayenne Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: withinseason

June6,2012

1 Ratings

Pub Gougères with Anchovy and Cayenne Recipe on Food52 (1)

Makes 12-15 gougères

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Anchovies give this riff on traditional cheese gougères a bistro-pub feel and a bold taste. Salty, spicy and savory, these are best with a strong, hoppy beer. These are great right out of the oven or made ahead for a crowd. —withinseason

Test Kitchen Notes

Withinseason’s directions are on the mark every step of the way. The dough was a little moist after the addition of the second egg but it came together nicely once the cheese was added. My batch did not get very puffy but they were extremely tasty and easy to make. My husband accused me of disrupting his nap ‘with all those delicious kitchen smells’. Luckily I had a plate full of hot pub gougeres in my hand and he helped himself. The cayenne is a subtle spicy note and the anchovy offers that certain je ne sais quoi. It was a hit and I’ll add this to my arsenal of impressive and inexpensive snacks.
—Summer of Eggplant

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

5 tablespoonsUnsalted butter
5 ouncesNonfat milk (Or: 1:1 whole to water) + extra for brushing tops
¹/₄ teaspoonSalt
¹/₂ cupFlour
2 Eggs
¹/₄ cupGruyère, grated + extra for topping
¹/₄ cupPecorino, grated + extra for topping
1 tablespoonFresh thyme, leaves picked
¹/₂ teaspoonBlack pepper, freshly ground
2 Anchovy fillets, finely chopped
pinch Cayenne

Directions

Have your oven at 350. Oil or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add butter, milk, and salt to a small, heavy saucepan. Heat till the butter melts and bring the mixture to a full boil, stirring.
Add the flour in one go. Stir! As the mixture pulls away from the pan and thickens, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. You can transfer to a new bowl to help cool, or, you know, save dishes...
Add eggs one at a time. Fully incorporate before adding the next egg. Your mixture should be thick and smooth. Add cheeses, black pepper, and thyme.
Add anchovy and a generous pinch of cayenne to the remainder (At this point, for variety on the plate, you could also opt to dole out half the dough with just cheese. Use less anchovy if you're going half-half). Using two spoons, dole out dough in 1 inch dollops, about 1-2 inches apart. Smaller is better for these flavor packed puffs.
Brush with milk and scatter extra cheese across tops. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until puffed up and browned. Try to leave till they are well-browned, unless you're not concerned about the gougères falling as they cool. They'll be tasty either way!

Tags:

Seafood
Anchovy
Milk/Cream
Thyme
Make Ahead
Serves a Crowd
Appetizer
Hors D'Oeuvre

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20 Reviews

Philly February 23, 2018

whoops just noticed the makes 12-15, sorry!

Philly February 23, 2018

It would be good to know how many this recipe makes? Also agree that it would be good to have metric measurements as well (as Silvia suggests), after all this is a international website!

jaimeC5674 March 4, 2022

I have to say your comment comes across as rude. “After all this is an international website!” Take the time to look up the conversion, it’s not the sharer’s responsibility. In the US we have to convert from metric all the time. Most often when a recipe is given in metric it does not offer the conversion to cups/tablespoons, so I don’t know why you seem so annoyed with the person who shared this recipe.

silvia February 8, 2016

What is in metric measurements, please?

mmsJack December 22, 2015

Made exactly as directed and just So Delicious - Thanks for the lovely recipe!

Emily L. December 23, 2015

You are so cheesy

Broccolini Q. December 29, 2014

The hit of our Christmas Eve seven fish seafood feast. Next time I'll amp up the anchovies. These are Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits hacked.