MUST EAT

 Gougères are part of the region’s culture dating back many hundreds of years. Back in the 14th century there was talk of cakes made of cheese, they called them ‘Goiere’ at that time. Nowadays, you can have them small and warm, large and lukewarm, or they are just as nice when cold and chewy.

Being a local tradition in Burgundy, we thought we should ask our featured couple Elly and Jurriaan for the recipe.

Jurriaan says: “There isn’t a Saturday that goes by without Elly baking gougères in the oven, usually with Comté cheese, but sometimes also with Gruyère and even filled with the Epoisse, a soft cow’s milk cheese from the local region.”

So, here’s Elly’s recipe.

Ingredients:

• 200g water and / or milk
• 100g butter
• 100g flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 100g grated Comté cheese
• A pinch of nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Bring the water and/or milk and butter (cut into small cubes) to the boil. Add the flour all at once. Turn off the heat and mix well into a consistent texture.

Put the heat back on, put a warming plate on top and let it cook for five minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
After five minutes, turn off the heat and let the mixture rest for another 15 minutes.

Now break the four eggs one by one into the mixture, stirring after adding each egg until it is completely absorbed.

Mix in about three quarters of the Comté, blend it and let it set in the fridge. This could take a day, but a few hours will do.

Then preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Take the cooled mixture and make into small balls or quenelles (using two dessert spoons) and place them on an oven rack covered with baking paper.

Mix the additional egg yolk with a little water and brush it over the quenelles. Finally, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

Place the baking tray with the gougères in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Keep an eye on the colour: when they are golden brown they can be removed from the oven.

Serve the gougères immediately with a nice glass of Burgundy white wine.

Bon appétit!