Cheese Puffs--Gougeres

In 'The Country Cooking of France' by Anne Willan

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 30

Ingredients

• Pate A Choux

• 1  cup water
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup butter, cut into cubes
• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 4 -5  eggs

• Other

• 4  ounces gruyere cheese
• 1  egg, beaten (to mix with 1/2 teaspoon salt, for glaze)
• 2 -3  tablespoons  grated gruyere cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° and lightly butter a baking sheet.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the water, salt, and butter and heat gently until the butter is melted.
3. Meanwhile, sift the flour onto a piece of parchment paper.
4. Bring the butter mixture just to a boil; take from the heat and immediately add all the flour.
5. Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for a few moments until the mixture pulls away from the pan sides to form a ball.
6. Beat for 30 seconds to 1 minute over low heat to dry the dough.
7. Beat 1 egg and set aside; beat the remaining eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
8. Beat in enough reserved egg so the dough is shiny and just falls from the spoon.
9. If too much egg is added, the dough will be too soft and not hold its shape.
10. Rub the top of the dough with butter to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside until cool.
11. Cut the gruyere cheese in tiny dice, or coarsely grate it, and beat it into the dough.
12. Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe 1 1/2 inch mounds on the baking sheet, spacing them well apart as they will puff during baking.
13. Alternately, drop mounds of dough on the baking sheet using 2 small spoons.
14. Brush the mounds with the egg glaze and sprinkle with grated gruyere.
15. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 25-30 minutes.
16. The puffs often seem done too soon, so take out a puff and let it cool for a minute or two to check if it is ready before removing the rest.
17. The puff should stay crisp on the outside and slightly soft inside.
18. Gougeres are at their best warm from the oven.