Champagne, celebration, and a savory snack: your New Year’s Eve is set. Before the ball drops, make sure to bake some of these delicious savory treats to pair with your champagne. Find tips for throwing the best bubbly patisserie party with our expert advice.
These savory puffs blend cheese into a basic pâte à choux dough. You can easily half or double the recipe. But it’s unlikely you’ll have leftovers—these airy bites go fast, especially when fresh from the oven. Liz Miller, pastry chef at luxury resort Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, shared her gougères recipe, packed with Blackberry’s own Singing Brook cheese, with us. (Singing Brook is a nutty, buttery, Manchego-like sheep’s milk cheese made right on the farmstead.) Pair these with one of our 8 Bubbles for Any Occasion, recommended by Andy Chabot, head sommelier at Blackberry Farm.
Soft and creamy, Camembert is a surface-ripened cow’s milk cheese with a thin edible rind. It was first made in the late 1700s in Camembert, Normandy, in northern France. For this recipe, we used the earthy Hervé Mons Camembert, a cheese that’s delicately salty and smooth.
3. Rye Crisps
Trick these crisps out with toppings at your next soirée. They’re packed with rye flavor and will not disappoint.
These Celery Gruyère Gougères from Chadwick Boyd feature one of his favorite vegetables: Celery. These French “puffs” celebrate every part of this vegetable, from its crunchy stalks to its tender leaves. This recipe is inspired by one of Julia Child’s most beloved flavor combos—celery, butter, and cream.
5. Manchego Fennel Cheese Straws
These stress-free Manchego Fennel Cheese Straws are the perfect solution for your next holiday gathering. We made ours with Manchego cheese, a buttery Spanish sheep’s milk cheese with a firm texture, but you could also substitute a good Parmesan cheese.
