party down with gougères (aka cheese puffs) + a holiday gift wish list

spicy cheddar gougeres | everybody likes sandwiches

I know, gougères sounds like fancy food. Delicious, of course, but probably super tricky to make. You might think that these are better left to the professionals or at least the person invited to the holiday party with the perfect hair and the fanciest heels who giggled when she said they were no big deal to whip up. Effortless, she might have said. Well, this imaginary person is close to telling the truth.

spicy cheddar gougeres | everybody likes sandwiches

These gougères are easy to whip up for an incredible party snack. I don’t even wear heels and I’ve got a recent unfortunate $10 hair cut (seriously) as proof that the most un-fancy person in the room (me!) can whip these up with ease. This schlub made some fancy ass gougères and they were so delicious that everyone at the party loved them and wanted the recipe. This is the honest truth.

spicy cheddar gougeres | everybody likes sandwiches

You can make them too! Need more of an incentive? Drop the dough onto the baking sheet and then freeze them. Then, if you have unexpected guests or guests that need more instant nourishment, pop the frozen puffs into the oven and, voila! Done and done.

spicy cheddar gougeres | everybody likes sandwiches

If you’re in the US, the Thanksgiving holiday is starting right about now and you might be on the hunt for a last-minute hors d’oeuvres. If you live elsewhere, like me up in Canada, holiday parties are sneaking up quick. These light, airy, buttery, cheesy otherworldly delights might just be the most impressive thing you pull out of your oven this season. Effortless, you might even say.

spicy cheddar gougeres | everybody likes sandwiches

You can scroll down for the recipe, but I’m always a sucker for a good gift list and I have a short one for you & whoever is on your gift list. These are all ELS Approved and get my stamp of Awesome.

2014 gift guide from everybody likes sandwiches

1. Nifty silicone lids. This is the only thing on my list that was given to me from a company but I liked them so much they’re my number one gift idea for any home cook. I use them to cover bowls or pots in the fridge, but they also make a damn fine basted egg when you throw one of these over your fry pan while cooking an egg. Plus, they look freaking cool! You may have to contact GIR on twitter to find out when they’re available.

2. A muddler. A friend gave me this wooden muddler for my birthday and I love it so much that I went out and bought another one for a different friend. Some muddlers have a flat bottom – skip those. You need a muddler with pointy bits to help release all those fragrant oils from citrus fruits. If you or someone you know likes cocktails, this is a must have item.

3. Ice cold Swell water bottle. I wasn’t sure if the hype surrounding this bottle is real, but I love it. It keeps water cold for at least 12 hours (24 hours like it claims might be a stretch). If water is ice cold I drink more of it. The bottle I own has a grippy outer shell so no slippage & it’s pretty too.

4. Apple Corer. I eat way too many apples in the fall. The fact that I only just bought this last week for myself is a crying shame. Coring apples is so much easier with this tool than using a paring knife. All my life I did it the hard way, now, there is no going back.

If I can squeeze in one more recommendation, it’s to check out my etsy shop! It’s full of cute holiday cards, notepads and birthday calendars ready for giving and using this holiday. Okay, back to the cheese puffs!

spicy cheddar gougeres | everybody likes sandwiches

 

6 comments to “party down with gougères (aka cheese puffs) + a holiday gift wish list”

  1. 1
    Joanne M   December 1, 2014 at 2:01 pm

    I have wanted to make gougeres for a long time. They look and sound amazing! I’ve also seen that water bottle in a local shop and was also drawn to the fact that it keeps water cold and I like the rubbery surface too.

  2. 2
    Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land   December 3, 2014 at 11:34 am

    woohoo! i love the name of them too – always reminds me of someone sitting there GORGING themselves “European Vacation” style (do you know the scene i speak of? Audrey’s nightmare?) ha… ok, i feel confident now that i could make these … ^__^ love the look of that water bottle too – 24 hour cold sounds preposterous but i know what you mean about cold water … ok i’m thirsty now.

  3. 3
    kickpleat   December 4, 2014 at 11:37 pm

    Joanne, I love that water bottle! Sometimes I add ice cubes and they stay frozen for hours – though I do have to run the cubes under water for a bit to “shrink” them so that they’ll fit in the bottle! Gourgeres are much less difficult than I imagined. A great party snack!

    Ha, I like the way you think, Lyndsay! And I just had to google that scene on youtube!! Hilarious!

  4. 4
    Julie   December 17, 2014 at 12:33 pm

    I made these for a holiday party & they were outstanding. I made mine fairly small – just used a full teaspoon of batter. I had people asking for the recipe and I kicked myself for not making a double batch. I like the idea of freezing a second batch for when they go quickly. Thank you!

  5. 5
    kickpleat   January 27, 2015 at 8:52 am

    Julie, oh, I’m so glad you made them. A double batch is ideal for parties 🙂

  6. 6
    Maureen   February 15, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    Made these from taste of home recipe and they are a hit everytime. A little time consuming but so worth it.

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