Blue Cheese Gourgeres with Garlic Crème Fraiche

Preparation is easy.

Preparation time is 50 minutes.

Yield: 4 dozen gougeres

Ingredients

• 1-cup water (250 millilitres)
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 ½ ounces)
• 1-tablespoon salt (15 millilitres)
• Pinch of sugar
• 1-¼ cups flour (5 ounces)
• 4 to 5 large eggs
• 1-¼ cups crumbled blue cheese (stilton, Danish blue) (5 ounces)
• White pepper

For the filling:

• 1-cup crème fraiche (250 millilitres)
• 6 tablespoons garlic olive oil (90 millilitres)
• 3 cloves roasted garlic

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a pan combine the water, butter, salt and sugar and bring it to a boil.
3. Add all the flour at once and reduce the heat to medium.
4. Stir for a couple of minutes until the mixture forms a ball and the moisture has evaporated.
5. Remove the dough from the heat and allow cooling for a minute.
6. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and attach the paddle.
7. Break in 4 eggs one by one and mix until smooth. The batter should form soft peaks that bend. If it is too stiff add the white of the final egg. If necessary add the yolk, mix in the cheese. Adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.
8. Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe the batter into 1-tablespoon mounds onto a baking tray lined with Silpat or parchment paper.
9. Leave a couple of inches between each mound. Bake for 8 minutes, and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Bake the gougeres for another 20 to 25 minutes, until they are light golden brown in colour.
11. Mix together the crème fraiche, garlic oil and roasted garlic.
12. Cut off the top of each gougere and fill with the mixture.
13. Serve immediately.