Lobster & Cheddar Gougères

Gougères are basically French cheese puffs but with the added luxury of lobster and a fancy name. Add these to your list for holiday party appetizers. These are like luxury cheddar bay biscuits; they have similar flavors but are so light and airy.

Gougères are made from choux pastry dough (Pâte à Choux), the same dough used to make cream puffs or profiteroles but are made savory with the addition of cheese and in this recipe also lobster. This type of egg and water based dough uses the steam trapped inside the dough to rise. When baking the Gougères they will often look done before they actually are; break one open to make sure that it is soft but not undercooked on the inside.

Lobster & Cheddar Gougères

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Lobster – While I use lobster tails, meat from whole lobsters can also be used in place of lobster tails in the recipe, I find lobster tails are the most readily accessible and their meat gives the gougeres the best texture.
• Cheddar Cheese – Always use sharp Cheddar when cooking. If you use mild or medium Cheddar the flavor will cook out and the recipe will be lacking in that cheesy flavor.

How to Make Lobster and Cheddar Gougères

1. Prep pans. Position the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 400ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Heat milk and water base. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat bring the milk, water, butter and salt to a rapid boil.
3. Add flour and cook. Add the flour, lower the heat to medium-low and immediately stir with a wooden spoon while the dough comes together.
4. Dry the dough out. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough, until the dough becomes smooth ball that easily pulls away from the sides of the pan, an additional minute or two.
5. Add eggs. Turn the dough out into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the speed to low and add the eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Add fillings. Once all the eggs have been added, the dough will be shiny, thick and fall from a spoon. Add the cheese, cayenne and lobster meat and beat to combine.
7. Drop choux pastry onto baking sheet. Using two spoons drop the choux pastry dough in tablespoon measurements onto the baking sheets two inches apart.
8. Bake the gougeres. Brush each with the egg wash mixture then bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans then bake until the gougères are crisp on the outside and slightly soft on the inside, about an additional 15 minutes.
9. Garnish with chives. Top with chives and serve warm. The gougères can be made ahead of time, frozen and reheated in the oven.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• Once the flour is added to the choux pastry in the pan it’s important to remove it from heat so it cools slightly before the eggs are added.
• To test the consistency of your choux pastry dough before adding the fillings, it should pass the string test. Hold a bit of dough between your thumb and index finger and slowly pull them apart. If a thin string forms between the pieces of dough then its a good consistency to add the remaining ingredients and bake.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Creamy Lobster Pasta
• Lobster Pot Pie
• Baked Lobster Dip

Lobster & Cheddar Gougères

Print Pin

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Serves 2 dozen

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup unsalted butter, (8 tablespoons), cut into ½” pieces
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped, cooked lobster meat
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 egg, beaten with ½ teaspoon salt, for brushing
• 1 teaspoon chopped chives, for serving

Instructions:

• Position the racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat bring the milk, water, butter and salt to a rapid boil. Add the flour, lower the heat to medium-low and immediately stir with a wooden spoon while the dough comes together.
• Continue to cook, stirring constantly, to dry out the dough, until the dough becomes smooth ball that easily pulls away from the sides of the pan, an additional minute or two.
• Turn the dough out into a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the speed to low and add the eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Once all the eggs have been added, the dough will be shiny, thick and fall from a spoon. Add the cheese, cayenne and lobster meat and beat to combine.
• Using two spoons drop the choux pastry dough in tablespoon measurements onto the baking sheets two inches apart.
• Brush each with the egg wash mixture then bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pans then bake until the gougères are crisp on the outside and slightly soft on the inside, about an additional 15 minutes.
• Top with chives and serve warm. The gougères can be made ahead of time, frozen and reheated in the oven.

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Choux pastry base recipe adapted from Anne Willan’s in “Country Cooking in France”.