entertaining/mini/recipes/sandwiches

Mini Black Pepper and Cheddar Gougère BLT Sandwiches

Posted February 3, 2015 by Stephanie
black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

Mike and I went out for dinner with a friend last night at a Vietnamese-Cambodian place. The tables are arranged so that you’re basically sitting at the same table as the people next to you. I couldn’t help overhearing what appeared to be an extremely awkward first date situation. It made me feel so bad for both the guy and the girl. But maybe more so for the guy because he was just trying so hard without getting any response, positive or negative from the girl.

At first they seemed like any other couple, but during a lull in our conversation as we were happily chowing down on wings, I overheard:

Awkward Asian Man: Your sweater…it’s so white.
Aloof Asian Girl: silence
Awkward Asian Man: How do you keep it so white? Do you use bleach?
Aloof Asian Girl: Bleach?
Awkward Asian Man: Yeah, you know, the laundry chemical? To make clothes white?
Aloof Asian Girl: silence
Awkward Asian Man: I mean, your sweater, it’s so…white. Is it new?
Aloof Asian Girl: silence

Granted, it wasn’t the best way to start a conversation, but at least he was trying? It kind of seemed like he was impressed with the girl’s laundry skills but at the same time there was this intense interrogation going on. Is this what dating is like now? Please please please tell me it’s not like this out there.

I told Mike about it in the car on the way home and he brought up a good point: maybe the guy actually was interrogating her on laundry skills. Some people are very particular about laundry. In fact, I have a good friend who broke up with a boy over laundry. Okay, fine, the laundry wasn’t the only factor, but she did complain a lot about how he washed his socks and underwear in with his regular loads.

Side note: I actually did not realize this was a thing, but I just did a quick google search and OMG I will never wash socks and underwear together again with regular loads. Actually, who am I kidding, I’m horrible at laundry. It’s a good day if I even remember to put a load into the machine let alone separate out the items. Um…I just spent 20 minutes falling down a google hole about bacteria breeding and laundry. My world view has changed. I definitely need to start separating things!

Anyway…on to more pleasant things, like these super delicious mini black pepper and cheddar gougère BLT sandwiches! If you’ve ever had gourgères, you know just how incredibly addictive they are, especially right out of the oven. Gourgère are light. airy, crisp French cheese puffs that are a bit eggy and so so good. When you make them into mini BLT sandwiches for an afternoon beer party, they’re even better. They may have been my favorite thing on the entire platter. I may not be the best at laundry or have the whitest sweaters on the block, but I can make damn tasty sandwiches, so there’s that!

Black Pepper Cheddar Gougeres via Dorie Greenspan
makes 24 puffs

  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
  • freshly ground pepper

Preheat to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium-sized heavy bottomed sauce pan, bring the milk, water, butter, and salt to a rapid boil. Add the flour all at once, lower the heat to a medium-low and stir, stir, stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will come together and a light crust will form on the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes to dry out the dough. The dough should be very smooth.

Put the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle. Add the eggs one by one and beat on medium speed until the dough becomes thick and shiny. At first, the dough will separate, just keep beating. When the third egg goes in, it should come together again. When all the eggs are incorporated, the dough will be thick and shiny and, when you lift some of it up it will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon. Beat in the grated cheese and use immediately while still warm.

Use 1 tablespoon of dough for each gougere – use a cookie scoop dipped into water or drop from a spoon. Leave 2 inches of space between each puff. Top with a generous sprinkle of freshly ground pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate and bake until golden and firm, another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm or let cool slightly.

Notes: This recipe makes quite a few puffs. What I like to do is to make the full batch and freeze it. To freeze, shape as above and freeze the entire baking sheet. When the dough is completely frozen, remove from the baking sheets and wrap them airtight. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. There’s no need to defrost before baking, just add a couple of minutes onto the baking time.

BLT Cheddar Gougeres inspired by Spoon Fork Bacon
makes as many as needed

  • crispy cooked thick cut bacon
  • dijon mustard
  • mixed greens
  • sliced tomatoes
  • cheddar gougeres, as needed

Slice the cheese puffs in half and add some mustard to taste. Top with the bacon, a few leaves of arugula, and slices of tomatoes. Enjoy!

black pepper cheddar gourgere blt recipe - www.iamafoodblog.com

22 Comments

  1. Sune Moolman says:

    Laundry schmaundry. :P
    These are absolutely gorgeous, love the extra black pepper!

  2. Can I come over please? I will bring beer if you let me have one! I want it now…
    Really laundry? please… At least her date was not so forward as mean to ask for kiss on lips on the first cafe outing,

  3. Kathryn says:

    I’m obsessed with gougeres – we’re having hundreds upon hundreds at our wedding (not that I’m making them) but they idea of turning them into a sandwich?! Totally mindblowing. I want about a hundred of these right this minute.

  4. molly yeh says:

    um WHAT? undies and socks?? what?? i have no idea about this. i can’t remember the last time i did laundry. damn this grownup business!! ooh and don’t you love overhearing conversations of dates at restaurants??? it’s like built in entertainment.

    AND THESE GOUGERES THOUGH. i’m planning a baby shower for one of my friends in the spring and it’s tea party themed but there will surely be influences of afternoon beer snacks, just minus the beer because babies :)

  5. Okay, I’m not going to lie, this post was like an emotional rollercoaster for me. At first I was all excited that you made gougeres WITH CHEDDAR AND BACON but then I read about the first date and felt awkward but then I got to the bit about laundry and not washing socks and underwear together and got confused and then I googled it and now I am horrified and I’ve been doing my laundry wrong all my life oh god oh god I’m disgusting but I still want these gougeres but oh god.

  6. brita says:

    I really want to google this laundry phenomenon that I have never heard of….but now I’m scared. I only separate colors. hah!

    These BLTs look SO good!

  7. Alana says:

    No socks and undies is a thing? I feel like this is something I have to share with my mother because she definitely left that part out in laundry 101. Also, sitting next to awkward first daters is kind of awesome. I’m definitely guilty of accidentally listening in on the convo taking place next to my table. In fact, I’ve 100% missed out on my own convo while getting caught up in listening to the convo happening next door to my table.

    Regarding gougeres: I LOVE THEM!! And I love that you turned them into cute little sandwiches. I often find myself saying “why didn’t I think of that” while reading your blog and here I am doing it again. GENIUS. Thank you for injecting all your genius into my life, Steph!!

  8. “bacteria breeding and laundry?” There goes the day.

    Gougeres make so much sense for sliders – or full size burgers for that matter – just a hint of substance to let the fillings shine. Noted!

  9. Edlyn says:

    No nooooo don’t start separating things!! Be like the rest of us dark-siders! :) So in love with all this mini food.

  10. cynthia says:

    I looove these!!! This is the best week ever. And also seriously sad-lol’ed at “Your sweater…it’s so white.” Hahaha awww :(:(!

  11. OMG, I wash it all together! What am I doing to my family! I can’t even start with the research. I don’t even want to know. (Do I even want to know???) Sandwiches are the WAAAAAAY safer route here, I feel. And these looks spectacular! Gougeres anything and I’m there! xo – Em

  12. But doesn’t the laundry detergent and hot water kill everything? Urgh I don’t even want to know.

  13. Abby says:

    omg, stephanie!! this recipe looks incredible. love!!

    and um… that laundry thing. life changing. THANK YOU for enlightening me hahah :)

  14. Mabel says:

    um.. I don’t want to spend an extra hour separating loads! laundry is already just a energy-draining task : Just add more bleach! although I did that and had my dark clothes turn orange.
    love the idea of gougere sandwiches! yummmm

  15. Mini anything please! These are gorgeous and I think. All too fitting for the new year! These are beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

  16. Man oh Man—-this is a show stopper!!!! I wish the shop would stop on my dining room table.

  17. Eileen says:

    Well, these sandwiches sound excellent, but…socks and underwear have to be their own load? What? That seems like bullshit to me, and bullshit that requires way too much water and electricity besides. I couldn’t fill a quarter of a load with socks and undies. Also, wouldn’t the dryer bake out most bacteria? And isn’t a healthy bacterial bodily environment GOOD?

  18. Stephanie, that first date conversation is hilarious. . so sad and awkward :P.. poor guy. . love these Black Pepper Cheddar Gougeres!! I’ve made Dorie’s before too and loved them .. this BLT sandwich looks soooooo good right now. . nom nom!!!

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