I recently made some everything crisps so I didn’t want to make something everything flavored so soon. I did come across “Chopped Champion” Palak Patel’s Everything Cheese Puffs recipe. Instead I did maybe a variation of them but a bit different. The cheese puffs are made similar to the way you make gougeres (French Cheese Puffs) But they come out more moist. I made 21 cheesy bites but they are very small so you will want to eat at least two a serving…maybe more?

Ingredients for around 8 servings

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs – slightly beaten

1 oz. aged cheddar cheese – grated

1 oz. fontina cheese – grated

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning or ( my blend a Tablespoon each of course sea salt, black pepper, dry basil, dry oregano, fennel seeds, 1/2 Tablespoon granulated garlic, 1/2 Tablespoon granulated onion, 1 small Calabrian chile crushed)

1 heaping teaspoon bomba calabrese – preferably Coluccio brand

Parmesan cheese – grated to taste

Directions.

Set oven to 400 degrees F

Cover sheet pan(s) with parchment paper.

Add butter, sugar, salt, and half a cup water to a sauce pan on medium high heat. Add the flour and mix and cook till it becomes a ball.

Mix in the eggs little by little.

Add the Italian seasoning, bomba, cheddar cheese, and fontina cheese.

This goes in a pastry bag (with or without star tip)

You squirt out small amounts of dough that are around an inch in diameter.

pinch a good amount of parm cheese and place on top of each dough ball.

This goes in the PREHEATED 400 degree F oven for ten minutes. Then you turn down heat to 350F and let it go another 25 minutes. Mine weren’t done yet so I turned the heat down to 300 for another 10 minutes………I thought they still needed more time so I shut off the oven and let them stay in for another hour.

They got crispier but are still moist and cheesy tasting in the middle. Nice bright Italian spices.

I have to Thank Chef Palak Patel for her Everything Bagel-Spiced Cheese Puff Recipe that was an inspiration for what I came up with today!

ENJOY!!!