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.
23. Mix on low speed until evenly distributed.
24. Fit a piping bag with a 12–14 mm round tip.
25. Fill the piping bag with the dough.
26. Pipe 3 cm wide mounds onto the prepared sheets.
27. Dab down any pointed peaks with a wet fingertip.
28. Whisk 15 g beaten egg with 5 ml water for the egg wash.
29. Brush the tops lightly with egg wash.
30. Sprinkle the mounds with the 20 g grated cheese.
31. Bake the trays at 220°C for 10 minutes.
32. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C.
33. Bake until the gougères are deeply golden, well puffed, and light, 15–20 minutes.
34. Turn off the oven.
35. Open the oven door slightly.
36. Dry the gougères in the hot oven for 5 minutes.
37. Transfer the gougères to a wire rack.
38. Serve the gougères warm.

Notes

• Technique keys: Dry the panade sufficiently to drive off excess moisture (the pan film is your cue) and add eggs gradually to reach the “slow V” consistency, which ensures maximum puff and hollow centers.
• Make-ahead: Pipe the dough onto trays, freeze until solid, and store in airtight bags up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding 3–5 minutes.
• Cheese options: Use aged Gruyère, Comté, or Emmental; finely grate for even melt and smooth piping.
• Flavor variations: Add 5 g Dijon mustard or 5 g minced chives with the cheese; keep additions modest to preserve structure.
• Serving: Pair warm with Champagne or white Burgundy; re-crisp leftovers at 180°C for 5–7 minutes.
• Related recipes: The same pâte à choux method underpins cream puffs, éclairs, and Paris-Brest (omit cheese and seasoning for sweet applications).