CRAB FILLED GRUYERE GOUGÈRES

Gougères made with gruyere in the fluffy dough and stuffed with freshly caught dungeness crab, red peppers and a few other easy ingredients. These delectable treats are a sure crowd pleaser. So easy to make ahead, the pastry is prebaked and the filling is prefrozen, making for easy stuffing of this yummy gougères.

Our housewarming was a busy one. We had about 80 people at the event, and I was thrilled to do all the cooking for it. Prepping and premaking items a couple weeks in advance, catering this party was all about doing as much as possible in advance, but not having anyone notice at the table.  

For these gougères, I baked them in advance, and froze them once they were cooled. It was so simple to cut them open, pop in the frozen filling and reheat them for the table, on demand as the plate ran out. So easy!

Savory Gruyere Gougères

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5 Tbsp. butter, the best quality you can find
• Good pinch Maldon salt, crushed in your fingers
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cup finely grated gruyere cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425F degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the water, milk, butter, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the butter melts, 1-2 minutes.
3. Immediately add in the flour and stir until a dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the pot. Continue stirring vigorously until the dough is no longer sticky and a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
4. Stir enthusiastically for another minute or so, until the dough is smooth and glossy. This is an important step because if the batter is too loose when you begin incorporating the eggs, the dough will not puff properly come baking time.
5. Transfer to a bowl and allow the dough to cool for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, one a time, fully incorporating each one before adding another. Scrape down the bowl each time and check the consistency of the paste. It should be stiff enough to stand, but soft enough to spread. Add the cheese and stir to combine.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, two spoons, or piping bag fitted with a wide round tip, drop tablespoon-sized dollops of the paste onto prepared baking sheets. Using damp fingers, press down any irregularities in the shape and form a small ball. I use a piping bag, as it makes such nice uniform balls. This tends to leave a tip of the dough which you can easily pat down with a wet finger. This will maintain uniform baking, since a tip of dough will brown and overcook by the time the rest of your goug
7. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Combine the water, milk, butter, salt, pepper and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat and cook until the butter melts, 1-2 minutes.
9. Immediately add in the flour and stir until a dough ball forms and pulls away from the sides of the pot. Continue stirring vigorously until the dough is no longer sticky and a film forms on the bottom of the pan.
10. Stir enthusiastically for another minute or so, until the dough is smooth and glossy. This is an important step because if the batter is too loose when you begin incorporating the eggs, the dough will not puff properly come baking time.
11. Transfer to a bowl and allow the dough to cool for 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, one a time, fully incorporating each one before adding another. Scrape down the bowl each time and check the consistency of the paste. It should be stiff enough to stand, but soft enough to spread. Add the cheese and nutmeg (if using) and stir to combine.
12. Using an ice cream scoop, two spoons, or piping bag fitted with a wide round tip, drop tablespoon-sized dollops of the paste onto prepared baking sheets. Using damp fingers, press down any irregularities in the shape and form a small ball.
13. Bake for 15 minutes; rotate the pans from front-to-back and top-to-bottom, then reduce the heat to 375F and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the puffs are golden and crisp (ovens may vary, so begin checking them after 10 minutes).
14. Turn off the heat and allow the pastry to stand in the closed oven for 15 minutes so the insides can thoroughly dry out.
15. Bake for 15 minutes; rotate the pans from front-to-back and top-to-bottom, then reduce the heat to 375F and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the puffs are golden and crisp (ovens may vary, so begin checking them after 10 minutes).

Some then suggest to turn off the heat and allow the pastry to stand in the closed oven for 15 minutes so the insides can thoroughly dry out. I have never done this since I wouldn't want to have them too dry as they are going to be reheated at a later date. To freeze them, just set them into the freezer on the same tray you baked them on, once they have completely cooled. Then, once rock hard, you can toss them into a zip lock bag or a food saver cryopacked bag and bring them out when company comes knocking! So easy to reheat, just pop the frozen puffs into a 325F oven for 10 mins max, either filled or empty.

Dungeness Crab Filling

• 1/2 lb cooked and shelled dungeness crab*
• 1 finely diced red pepper
• 1 green onion, chopped fine
• 1/2 cream cheese
• Pinch Maldon salt
• Pinch white pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together until well combined, but not so much as to break up the chunks of meat.
2. As I was making this appetizer ahead, I froze the filling in small spoonful sized portions and flash froze them, then cryopacked them until the day.
3. Day of the event: I took the pre-portioned crab filling out of the freezer, cut a slit in the partially defrosted gougère and then popped them into the oven the heat through, at 325F for about 10 minutes.

*Ensure that your freshly shelled crab has had some of it's moisture pressed out. If you skip this step, the finished gougères will be wet and mushy, not at all a texture you are looking for.​