French Gougères

By á-58

Gougères are among the most popular hors d'oeuvres in France. A traditional specialty of the Burgundy region, gougères are often made with gruyère cheese, but sometimes other cheeses (such as parmesan) are used to add an extra depth. Enjoy gougères with a glass (or two) of good French wine.

Ingredients

• One and one-half cups water
• One -half cup butter, cut into cubes
• One and one-half cups flour (unbleached, all-purpose)
• Six large eggs
• One cup (packed) grated gruyère cheese
• One -half cup (packed) good-quality parmesan
• One -half teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• One -half teaspoon salt

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Place one rack in top third and a second in the bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, lightly greased with non-stick cooking spray.

In a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium heat, bring the water, butter and salt to a simmer, stirring until the butter melts. Add flour all at once, and stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until mixture is a smooth, thick paste with no lumps. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to cool. Using a hand-held mixer, beat in one egg at a time until all are incorporated. Stir in cheese and pepper.

Using a tablespoon, drop 48 equal mounds of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing each mound three inches apart. Bake until dough is puffed, and looks dry and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Halfway though cooking, reverse the positions of the baking pans.