Cheese

• Choose a gouda flavor according to whether the dish will be sweet or savory. For savory dishes, choose a gouda that is aged or smoked, especially if the cheese will be accompanied by other strong flavors, such as chutney or mustard. For sweet dishes, choose creamy gouda that has not been aged and will not overwhelm any other sweet flavors, such as fruit preserves you might serve alongside the cheese.

Pastry

• To wrap the cheese, use puff pastry you prepare from scratch or purchase in the dessert aisle at the supermarket. Place the cheese in the middle of the pastry sheet and fold over the edges, packaging the cheese so it is completely covered by pastry. Place the wrapped cheese on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, seam-side down, before you place it in the oven.

Time and Temperature

• Cheese in pastry should be baked at a high temperature for a short period of time. This allows the pastry to become puffed and golden without allowing the cheese to melt too much within. The temperature can range from 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes. Choose your temperature and cooking time according to how soft you want the cheese to be. Longer time periods result in more melted cheese.

Considerations

• Accentuate the browning of the pastry by covering it with an egg or milk wash after wrapping the cheese in it and inserting into the oven. Whisk one part water and one part egg, or one part milk, together in a small bowl and brush all over the top and sides of the pastry using a pastry brush, careful not to have it drip onto the baking tray as it can make the pastry stick. Shape any pastry scraps into small decorative flowers or bows and place them on top of the pastry, again using the egg was to attach it by adding more on top, then brushing the decoration.

Alternatives

• One alternative to baking gouda is to use brie instead; brie is even creamier than gouda. Bake with the same cooking temperature and time as well. Any cheese can be baked in puff pastry, but some will melt more than others. Alternatively, if you're serving the cheese with fruit compote or chutney, try mixing it all together before baking, chopping up the cheese and tossing it with the fruit preserves before placing the mixture in the pastry for baking.