Gougeres

Gougeres are savoury French cheese puffs made from pate aux choux dough with Gruyere cheese. They are perfect bite-size appetisers and they will disappear very quickly once on the table :)
 
Ingredients : (make about 28 gougeres)
 
80g of butter
80g of flour
3 eggs
200ml water
50g gruyere or any hard grated cheeses.
A large pinch of salt
Pepper
 
Method
 
Preheat the oven to 200C
Line 1 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Stage 1

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil.
2. As soon as the liquid is boiling take the pan out of the heat.
3. Toss in flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms.
4. Stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 1 minute.
5. Scrape the dough into a bowl and let cool for 1 minute.
6. Beat the eggs into the dough to introduce as much air as you can by lifting the spoon high and let the dough falls integrating air bubbles then add 40g of cheese and a pinch of pepper.
7. When making the choux pastry, it is important to be sure that the eggs are fully incorporated into the batter, don’t worry if the batter separates and looks curdled at first. Keep beating and it will come together.

Stage 2

1. With the help of a dessert spoon make small blobs (3cm diameter approx.) onto the baking sheets, 5 centimetres apart leaving room for them to expand.
   
2. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
   
3. Don’t open the oven door during the cooking, otherwise the gougeres will deflate or​ will be dry.
   
4. Serve hot or let cool and refrigerate or freeze.

 
You can make them a day ahead and store them in an airtight container.
Gougeres freeze well for up to one month.
After baking, allow them to cool completely. When you return home, spread the gougeres out on a baking sheet, cover the sheet with plastic wrap and freeze them until they are firm.
Then store them in a sturdy box.