Gougeres

Total Time: 1 hr 12 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 27 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated cheese (gruyere or cheddar, about 6 ounces)

Recipe

• 1 position the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds; preheat oven to 425°.
• 2 line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• 3 bring the milk, water, butter, and salt to a rapid boil in a heavy medium saucepan over high heat.
• 4 add the flour all at once, decrease the heat to med-low, and immediately start stirring energetically with a wooden spoon or heavy whisk.
• 5 the dough will come together and a light crust will form on the bottom of the pan--keep stirring with a vigor, for another minute or two to dry the dough; the dough should be very smooth.
• 6 turn the dough into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or into a bowl that you can use for mixing with a hand mixer or a wooden spoon and elbow grease.
• 7 let the dough rise for a minute, then add the eggs one by one and beat, beat, beat until the dough is thick and shiny.
• 8 make sure that each egg is completely incorporated before you add the next, and don't be concerned if the dough separates--by the time the last egg goes in, the dough will come together again.
• 9 beat in the grated cheese; once the dough is made it should be spooned out immediately.
• 10 using about 1 tablespoon of dough for each gougere, drop the dough from a spoon onto the lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of puff space between the mounds.
• 11 slide the baking sheets into the oven and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 375°; bake for 12 minutes, then rotate the pans from front to back and top to bottom.
• 12 continue baking until the gougeres are golden, firm, and yes, puffed, another 12-15 minutes or so.
• 13 serve warm, or transfer the pans to racks to cool.
• 14 **to make ahead--shape the dough, freeze the mounds on a baking sheet, and then when they are solid, lift them off the sheet and pack them in airtight plastic bags; bake them straight from the freezer, no need to defrost; just give them a minute or two more in the oven.