Remy’s Mushroom Puff Inspired by Ratatouille

What’s Up, Hungry People

There are few recipes that stick in my mind like the foods that can be seen in Ratatouille. A few years ago, I made the soup that Linguini messes up and Remy fixes – so I figured it was about time to put on my terrible French accent and try to recreate another iconic dish from this movie. I have literally been thinking about Remy’s lightning mushroom puffs for as long as the movie has been around – which, much to my surprise, has been since 2007!

Ratatouille follows Remy, a rat with a gifted palate, as he sneaks his way into a Parisian kitchen and secretly becomes the culinary brains behind a struggling restaurant. With the help of the very confused and very chaotic human, Linguini, Remy rises to kitchen fame while hiding from both humans and health inspectors. It’s charming, weirdly emotional, and features some of the best animated food ever put on screen.

Lightning Mushroom Puffs

Now, let’s talk about the lightning mushroom puffs – which, as far as I can tell, are a mix of a few classic French components rolled into one dramatic rooftop snack.

Pâte à choux is a French pastry dough that puffs up in the oven thanks to steam instead of baking powder or yeast. It’s the base for cream puffs, éclairs, and savory bites like gougères, which are basically cheese puffs made with choux dough and shredded cheese baked right in. You can read more about gougères here if you’re curious how traditional ones are made.

Instead of using just any cheese, I tracked down a version of tomme de chèvre de pays, which is a firm, aged goat cheese from small rural towns in France. It’s nuttier and stronger than the soft chèvre most of us are used to, and it holds up beautifully when baked or blended into a warm filling.

That filling is loosely based on duxelles, which is a finely chopped mixture of mushrooms, onions, and herbs cooked down into a thick paste. It’s often used in dishes like beef Wellington, but here it acts as the flavorful mushroom center of each puff. You can also check out another variation of this idea in this savory goat cheese profiterole recipe, which helped guide some of my early testing.

The mushrooms I used were chanterelles, which have a fruity, almost apricot-like aroma and are considered one of the more prized wild mushrooms. They’re seasonal and hard to find, but worth the effort. If they’re not in season, you can use other mushrooms – just expect a different flavor.

And finally, La’Aquilla saffron is a specific type of saffron grown in Italy. It’s deep red, slightly sweet, and considered one of the best varieties. A little goes a long way, but it helps tint the dough a soft yellow and gives the dish that distinct warmth I think Remy would approve of.

So, what happens when you mix pâte à choux with saffron, rosemary, smoked chanterelles, and goat cheese?

A lightning puff, obviously.

Anyone Can Cook!

This recipe is based on traditional French flavors and cooking techniques – so while it’s not exactly what Remy eats in the movie, it is a much more palatable version that can be served in real life!

Here’s What You Need

• Water – For the base of the pâte à choux dough.
• Butter – Used in the dough and to cook the onions.
• Rosemary – Steeped into the dough for a sharp, herbal note.
• La’Aquilla Saffron – Tints the dough and adds a distinct flavor.
• Flour – Creates the structure of the dough.
• Firm Goat Cheese (Tomme de Chèvre de Murica or similar) – Mixed into both the dough and the filling.
• Eggs – Help the dough puff and hold its shape.
• Chanterelle Mushrooms – Smoked and blended for the filling.
• Fresh Chives – Mixed into the filling for a fresh contrast.
• Sweet Onion – Cooked low and slow to mellow and deepen the flavor.
• Garlic – Blended into the filling for extra punch.

Let’s Cook!

Get your smoker preheated to about 225°F. While that’s heating up, wash the chanterelles, trim the stems, and place them stem side up on a foil-lined baking sheet. Once the smoker’s ready, slide them in and let them go for 30 to 40 minutes. They’ll shrink quite a bit as the moisture cooks out. When they’re done, set them aside to cool to room temp while we work on the dough.

Making the Dough

Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Set up two piping bags: one fitted with a big French tip for the tops, and one with a plain snipped tip for the stems. Pro tip – stick each bag in a tall glass and fold the edges over the rim so you’re not wrestling it while filling.

In a small pot over medium heat, combine the water, butter, rosemary, and saffron. Stir it around until the butter is fully melted and the saffron has tinted the water yellow. As soon as it starts to bubble, turn off the heat and pull out the rosemary.

Dump in all the flour at once and stir until it starts coming together. Turn the heat back on low and keep mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot and leaves a bit of residue behind. This should take about 5 to 8 minutes.

Transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then turn the mixer on low to help it cool a little more. Once it’s warm (not hot), toss in the shredded goat cheese. It’ll start melting right into the dough.

Now crack in the eggs one by one, mixing well after each. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything gets blended. Once the dough is pale and smooth, you’re good to go.

Piping and Baking

Scoop most of the dough into your large piping bag and set aside about 1/2 cup in the second bag for the stems. Pipe 8 to 10 mushroom caps onto your baking sheet – they should hold the ridges from the French tip. Give the tops a quick dab of water to smooth out any points, then sprinkle on more shredded goat cheese.

Use the smaller piping bag to pipe out the stems. Just make sure you’ve got enough for every cap – and maybe a backup or two.

Bake the puffs at 425°F for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 375°F and keep baking for another 15 to 20 minutes. Don’t open the oven door during the switch – let the temperature drop on its own. Once they’re puffed and golden, take them out and poke a small hole in the bottom of each one to let the steam escape.

Turn the oven off, pop the tray back in, and let them sit in the residual heat for about 10 more minutes. Then crack the door and let them cool slowly so they stay crisp.

Making the Filling

Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook low and slow until it’s soft and caramelized – around 20 to 30 minutes. Stir now and then to keep it from burning.

Once the onions are ready, grab your food processor. Add in the smoked chanterelles, warm onions, garlic, and chives. Pulse it until it’s blended but not totally smooth. Add the shredded goat cheese and blend again – the warmth should help it all come together as a thick filling.

Scoop the mixture into a piping bag and get ready to fill.

Find the little steam hole in the bottom of each puff and pipe in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mushroom filling. Don’t go too wild – you want enough to fill without it bursting. Once they’re filled, gently press a stem into place.

Tips & Tricks

• Don’t rush the choux cooling process. If it’s too hot when you add the eggs, they’ll scramble. If it’s too cool, the cheese won’t melt in right. Aim for warm-but-not-steaming.
• Use a tall glass to hold your piping bags. Fold the tops over the rim and you’ll have both hands free to fill them without making a mess.
• If you can’t find chanterelles, swap in button mushrooms or baby bellas. The flavor won’t be the same, but it’ll still work. Just avoid using watery mushrooms like portobellos unless you cook the moisture out first.
• Don’t open the oven mid-bake. Seriously. The choux can collapse if the temp drops too quickly. Set a timer and trust the process.
• Stick to firm goat cheese. Soft chèvre will melt too fast and won’t give you the texture you want in the dough or filling.
• Make the stems short and wide. If they’re too tall or skinny, they won’t hold the weight of the tops.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use store-bought puff pastry instead of pâte à choux? Not for this one. Pâte à choux puffs up from steam and creates a hollow center – puff pastry won’t give you the same texture or structure for the filling.
• What can I use if I don’t have a smoker? You can roast the mushrooms in the oven at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes. Toss them in a tiny bit of olive oil and smoked paprika to fake it. Won’t be the same, but close enough in a pinch.
• How do I know if my choux dough is ready? It should pull away from the sides of the pot and form a soft dough ball. When stirred, it leaves a light film on the bottom of the pot. That’s your cue.
• Do I have to use La’Aquilla saffron? Nope. It’s great if you have it, but any decent saffron will do. Just skip anything that’s suspiciously cheap – it’s probably fake or flavored with something weird.
• Can I make them ahead of time? You can bake the choux a few hours in advance and fill them just before serving. Don’t fill them too early or they’ll go soft.
• Where do I find tomme de chèvre? Try a specialty cheese shop or ask your local store’s cheese counter. If you can’t find it, look for any firm aged goat cheese – the drier, the better.

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[COMING SOON!]

Only the Fearless Can be Great

This might be one of the most over-the-top recipes I’ve ever committed to – but honestly, Remy wouldn’t have it any other way. Between the smoked chanterelles, the herby saffron-laced dough, and the gooey goat cheese filling, these lightning mushroom puffs are everything I hoped they’d be.

If you make them, let me know how they turn out – and if you have a favorite food moment from Ratatouille (or any other animated movie), drop it in the comments. I might just try to cook that next.

Until then, keep your whisk steady and your pantry weird. See you in the next recipe.

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