Gougères au Cumin (p. 84, US edition)

tealady · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 11

I'm looking forward to trying this recipe and before I do, I've got an important question. My oven will only fit one baking sheet at time unless I put one on a rack over the other. I'm assuming that the puffs might not puff properly without the air circulating freely.

So, if I understand the directions correctly, I should pre-heat the oven, put one baking sheet inside, bake for 20 minutes, turn off the oven and open the door a bit, take the sheet out after another five minutes and then begin again, pre-heating the oven, etc., etc.

Is this right? Confused

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

I'm just a poster here, but yes, that is how I understand it, tealady. Note that you should return the batter to chill in the fridge while batch #1 is cooking.
It is important that your oven temperature is correct!

Sometimes when I try a new recipe I bake just 2 cookies (or puffs or whatever)--just to see if anything is radically wrong. Better to ruin 2 or 4 little treats than lose a whole tray of 20!

msue · Joined: 18 Dec 2005 Posts: 368

gingerpale is right, tealady!

You definitely need the oven to be at the right temperature. Between batches, the batter can sit, covered, in the fridge.

When baking the cheese puffs, oven temperature is an important key to success. Start with the oven at the correct temperature and definitely allow them to sit in the oven for that extra 5 minutes before moving them to a rack for cooling.

You can even bake the second batch the next day if you want, provided you keep the extra batter in the fridge, tightly covered.

tealady · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 11

I was afraid of that. I think I'll just make half a recipe then. Thanks for your help!!

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

tealady, please let us know how this turns out!

Queekie · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Puerto Angel

Tealady,
This is my first post... so here it goes.
Gougères whether they are cheese, herb or cumin in flavour they do not need to be baked at once. When my husband & I do a dinner party they are a favorite that I make days ahead, then freeze the raw dough.
Straight out of the freezer into a hot 425 oven and they are finished as if they were made that instant. Buon appetito
_________________
better bread for all...

tealady · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 11

Ah! I may try that Queekie.! Freeze half the dough to use another time. Thanks!!

tealady · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Posts: 11

Yay!!! I made these over the weekend and they were fantastic!! I've got half the dough in the freezer and I'll bake some from that batch sometime in the next couple of weeks.

What I like best about this cookbook is how Clotilde talks me into trying new things without coming across as intimidating. Un grand merci!!!