Heidi's Recipe

Gougères Puffs

Category: Cheese

Yields: 3 doz
Gruyère is a cow’s milk cheese with a subtle, nutty flavor.
It shreds easily and melts beautifully.

1 c water
6 T unsalted butter, in pieces
1 t fine sea salt
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t sweet Hungarian paprika
1 c flour
5 eggs
3/4 c Gruyère cheese
3/4 c Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 t milk
toothpicks to serve

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of an oven and preheat 425F.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cook water, butter, sea salt, cayenne, paprika medium to a boil until butter melts.
Remove from heat.
Quickly add flour all at once, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon until well blended.

Place pan over med-high; beat until it forms a mass in center of pan, 1-2 min.
(it's done when the pan bottom begins to be coated with the mixture)

Do not heat the mixture above lukewarm.
Remove from heat; use the spoon to make a well in the center.

Immediately add 1 of the eggs and beat with the spoon until completely blended.
Then beat in 3 more of the eggs, one at a time.
Beat in the Gruyère and one-third of the Parmigiano until melted and thoroughly blended.
To form: spoon the paste into a pastry bag with a plain tip 1/2".
Pipe 1" in diameter mounds at 1/2" high onto sheets 2" apart.
In a bowl, 1 egg with 1t milk. Brush gougères with egg wash, don't mash them down.
Sprinkle remaining Parmigiano over tops.
Bake until doubled in size 20 mins.

Remove from oven (leave the oven on).
Using a small, sharp knife, cut a small slit in the side of each gougère.
Return to oven for 5 min to partially dry out inside of puffs.
Transfer to wire racks. Serve warm or at room temp. WS