Boarding a luxury European barge cruise is nothing short of a marvelous affair. Guests embark, greeted by a charming crew, and welcomed with glasses of crisp Champagne. Delectable canapes are presented, complementing the bubbles in hand, providing a sublime experience as
their floating home for the week is introduced.
Barge chefs have elevated the art of hors d’oeuvres, bringing a sense of inspired living and approachable elegance to lucky guests. Among the most notable barge chefs are those on the Prosperite. Offering a private, luxurious barge cruise in Burgundy for up to eight guests, Prosperite delivers a celebrated gourmet dining experience, featuring Southern Burgundy’s regional French fare crafted with a contemporary approach. One of the signature canapes served onboard the Prosperite is a “gougère”.
“Feasting on Burgundy’s bounty was a highlight of my week onboard the Prosperite,” raves travel expert and Barge Lady Cruise Correspondent Dana Howard Freeman.
A gougère is a fancy cheese puff crafted with any number of French cheeses (most commonly Emmental, Comte or Gruyere) and choux pastry dough. The richness of the cheese intertwines with the delicate texture of the pastry, creating a lightly crisp bite with an indulgent velvety center. Paired with sparkling wine or a tangy cocktail to enhance the piquant flavors of the cheese, this quintessential Burgundian bite is a perfect accompaniment for cocktail hour, be it on the Burgundy canals or in your own backyard.
Dana recalls, “The savory flavors of freshly baked gougères were divine. Herve, our private Chef, sourced French Emmental cheese from a regional market near the cruise route. The aromas wafting from the open kitchen when they were in the oven were absolutely heavenly!”
As we celebrate France’s revolution on Bastille Day this July 14, we invite you to savor a taste of Burgundy and enjoy this enticing recipe for gougères from Chef Herve of the Prosperite.
Gougères Recipe
Makes approximately 50
Ingredients:
- 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of whole milk
- 1/3 cup of cubed French butter
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1/3 cup of grated French Emmental cheese
- 4 eggs
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Pour the milk and cubed butter in a small saucepan on medium heat, and bring to a boil
- Remove from the stove and add the flour, stirring the mixture with a plastic spoon until the flour is completely absorbed
- Place the saucepan back on the stove with medium heat
- When the mixture doesn’t stick to your finger, add the cubed French Emmental cheese, stirring the mixture with a plastic spoon until cheese is fully melted
- Remove the saucepan from the stove and transfer the mixture to a large bowl
- Add one egg and stir until the egg is absorbed, and repeat this step, adding two more eggs
- Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag (or scoop rounded tablespoons)
- Use the pastry bag to place 25 dollops of the mixture on each of two baking trays
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg
- Glaze beaten egg on the dollops of pastry
- Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes
Remove from the oven and serve the freshly baked gourgeres to your grateful guests!
On behalf of the Barge Ladies, bon appetit and Vive la Revolution!