Gorgeous Gougères
Makes 64 gougères

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

The name is enjoyable to say, they can be made in advance and reheated (in a 300°F oven for a couple of minutes), and they’re awfully easy to whip together to begin with. Oh, and they taste darn fine. I’ve had many gougères, with differing cheese-butter ratios, but this version has an ideal balance of fluff and substance.

4 large eggs
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

2. Lightly beat the eggs until the whites and yolks have mixed, but no further.

3. Put 1 cup water, the butter, and the salt in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure the butter melts. Once it reaches a boil, add the flour. Beat heartily with a spoon (a large wooden spoon works best) until the mixture pulls away from the pan’s sides. Turn the heat down and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, until the dough is partially dry. Remove from the heat. Add the beaten eggs slowly, stirring all the time. Stir in the cheeses and pepper until everything is well combined.

4. Put the dough into a large pastry bag or large zipper-top plastic bag. If using the latter, cut off one corner. Pipe the dough into 1-1/2 inch rounds on the baking sheets.

5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be slightly crispy on the outside and slightly doughy on the inside, and a glowing gold in color.