Savory croquembouche with Beemster cheese sauce

Dessert. 14 people. Preparation 60 min.

Ingredients

Gougères (+- 70 pieces)

• 250 g butter
• 250 ml of milk
• 250 ml of water
• 250 g flour
• Pinch of salt
• 10 eggs
• 250 g grated Beemster Old

Cheese Sauce

• 50 g butter
• 50 g flour
• 500 ml of milk
• 100 g grated Beemster Extra Belegen
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Topping

• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 120 g smoked breakfast bacon, sliced
• Bunch of parsley, picked leaves without stalk

Kitchen Stuff

• Aluminum foil

Prepare

Making Gougères:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Heat the butter, milk and water in a saucepan. Add the flour and a pinch of salt. Stir until smooth with a whisk. Allow the flour to cook.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. While stirring with a wooden spoon, add the eggs one at a time. Do not add the second egg until the first egg is incorporated. Add the cheese and mix well.
4. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Put the dough in a piping bag. With this, pipe the gougères onto the baking sheet. Make sure there is enough space (+- 3 cm) between the gougères.
5. Bake the gougères for 15-20 minutes in the center of the oven until golden brown. Let them cool slightly on a wire rack.

Making maple bacon bits:

1. Cut the breakfast bacon into small cubes. Fry them until they are crispy.
2. Remove the fat from the pan. Add a small amount of maple syrup and fry for 1 more minute.
3. Let the bacon cool and drain on paper towels.
4. Optional: grind the cooled maple bacon bits in a food processor to a powder.

Making cheese sauce

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Do not allow the butter to brown.
2. Add the flour once the butter has melted. Stir well.
3. Let this mixture cook for about 30 seconds before adding the milk. Keep stirring well while adding the milk little by little.
4. Season the béchamel sauce with a little salt and pepper.
5. Is the sauce too thick? Then add a little extra milk. Once you have the desired thickness, add the grated cheese. Keep stirring well.
6. The sauce is ready once the cheese has melted. Let the sauce cool slightly.

Making puffs (croquembouche)

1. Make a sturdy croquembouche cone by crumpling aluminum foil into a cone shape about 30 cm high.
2. Pierce a skewer into the bottom of a gougère and poke it into the cone. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Continue until the entire cone is covered.
3. Finish it just before serving by pouring the lukewarm cheese sauce over it and sprinkling the parsley and bacon bits on top.

*This recipe was developed by 24Kitchen.

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For the English version of this recipe, click here.