Gougères (French Cheese Puffs)

Tags: #appetizer #French #baking Serving: 35 pieces Total time: 60 minutes

Crisp, airy pâte à choux puffs enriched with Gruyère, baked until deeply golden and irresistibly savory.

Ingredients

• 125 ml water
• 125 ml whole milk
• 100 g unsalted butter, cubed
• 5 g fine sea salt
• 3 g granulated sugar (optional)
• 150 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g whole eggs, beaten (for dough)
• 25 g whole egg, beaten (reserve for adjusting dough)
• 120 g Gruyère or Comté, finely grated (for dough)
• 1 g freshly ground black pepper
• 0.5 g freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
• 15 g whole egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 5 ml water (for egg wash)
• 20 g Gruyère or Comté, finely grated (for topping)

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Combine the water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan.
4. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over medium heat.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
6. Add the flour to the saucepan in one addition.
7. Stir the mixture vigorously with a stiff spatula until no dry flour remains.
8. Return the saucepan to medium heat.
9. Stir the panade until it forms a cohesive ball and a thin film coats the pan, 2–3 minutes.
10. Transfer the hot panade to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle (or to a large bowl).
11. Beat the panade on low speed for 1 minute to cool slightly.
12. Add half of the 200 g beaten eggs to the bowl.
13. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated.
14. Add the remaining half of the 200 g beaten eggs.
15. Mix on medium speed until smooth and glossy.
16. Lift the paddle or spatula and check for a slow V-shaped ribbon that breaks cleanly.
17. Add 5 g of the reserved beaten egg if the dough is too stiff to form a slow V-shaped ribbon.
18. Mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth.
19. Repeat steps 17 and 18 as needed until the dough shows the slow V-shaped ribbon (you may not need all 25 g).
20. Add the black pepper and nutmeg to the dough.
21. Mix on low speed until just combined.
22. Add 120 g grated cheese to the dough.