Another wonderful Thanksgiving has passed. It is definitely my favorite holiday. Although I entertain around 50 people each year, it has become a labor of love. Setting the table is always overwhelming, but I take much pride in my intense preparation. It literally takes me an entire day to do it, and I have come to enjoy every minute. There will be pictures in a future post that will include all the steps I use along the way!

Because I change the menu every year, I often find myself hunting for appetizers. It can be difficult at times and as the holiday gets nearer I get frustrated. I think I will try to find more great appetizers so you and I will have them when we need them. I try to find appetizers that I can freeze, because I am always so busy cooking the main dishes and sides the day of Thanksgiving. My friend, Mike, passed this one on to me and the cheese puffs came out beautiful and delicious.

P.S. this one is so easy!

I do not consider myself a baker. I have improved since I started this blog, but I always try to find recipes that are relatively simple. This one is just that. There are so few ingredients and steps, yet the outcome will make people think you worked much harder than you did. 

These cheese puffs are exquisite. They are gorgeously browned on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. This is a “must make” whether or not you are entertaining. I made them for Thanksgiving this year and it was effortless, with extravagant results. My family went nuts over them. They freeze perfectly.

This recipe is courtesy of French Culinary Art cookbook and will make about 48 cheese puffs. Your family will be praising your efforts, and what they don’t know certainly won’t hurt them!

Ingredients for Gougere Cheese Puffs:

2 cups water
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
8 large eggs
2/3 cup very finely diced Gruyere cheese
Small thin slices Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Mix the first 3 ingredients together in a 1 1/2-quart sauce pan. 

Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in all the flour at one time, using a wooden spoon. (Turn heat off.)

Beat vigorously.

Return to heat and cook until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan and forms a very stiff ball.

Remove from heat and. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating until it is completely absorbed before adding another.

Do not overbeat, as this reduces the volume and the consistency for piping purposes.

Mix paste with diced Gruyere cheese.

Squeeze paste form a pastry bag or drop from a tablespoon 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. (I covered pan with parchment paper).

Cover each drop with the thin slices of Gruyere cheese.

Bake in preheated oven 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve warm.

It’s that simple!

A sneak peek!