French cheese puffs for apéritif hour
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons cold butter, but into small cubes
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
Pinch of nutmeg
Cayenne pepper to taste no
2 ounces gruyère or comté or other swiss-type cheese, grated… OR try crumbled blue cheese for gougère au bleu
Method:
- Preheat oven to 425F
- byPlace the cold water, butter and pinch of salt in a small saucepan on the stove and heat on medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture just starts to bubble.
- Dump your flour into the saucepan all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep the heat on medium and stir and cook until the batter comes off the sides and comes together in a smooth, shiny ball. This usually takes 1-2 minutes. Keep stirring.
- When your dough is smooth, shiny and cohesive, move it out of the hot pan and into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let it sit for a couple minutes to cool down. (Yes, you can do this by hand if you don’t have a mixer. See note on next step)
- After 2 minutes turn on the mixer to medium and add one egg. Keep the mixer running until the egg is fully and evenly incorporated. It will look like a paste. This takes about 2-3 minutes. (You can also do this by hand with a wooden spoon. It’s a bit of a workout and will take longer)
- Now keep the mixer on and add the second egg. Mix until the egg is fully incorporated and batter is like a thick paste. Will take 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add a hefty pinch of nutmeg and cayenne and mix with a stiff spatula. Now mix in the cheese. Mix until evenly distributed through the choux paste.
- Fill a pastry bag, no tip needed, and pipe out 2” blobs of choux paste 2” apart on a sheet pan covered in parchment. You can also drop teaspoon fulls on your parchment.
- Smooth out the tops by dipping your index finger into some water and very gently tapping down any peaks. Careful not to flatten your choux.
- Sprinkle a little cayenne on top if you like for extra color & spice.
- Place into hot 425F oven for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, turn the oven temperature down to 375F and continue to cook until puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Remove gougères from oven and quickly poke a small hole in each one using a toothpick. This will allow steam to escape so they stay crispy.
- Enjoy immediately or at room temperature later (but they are best warm—you can always reheat quickly in a low oven)
- Excellent with a glass of champagne 🥂