makes one large ring or 24 to 48 individual puffs

Gougères are delicious, addictive, crispy, creamy, chewy cheese puffs and are best served warm. They are made with a base dough called pâte à choux, a classic French dough used for cream puffs.

You'll need:

• 1 cup each water and milk
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 tsp salt
• dash white pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 7-8 large eggs
• 6 oz. Gruyere cheese, finely diced
• 6 oz. ham, finely diced (optional)
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary or fresh thyme (optional)

Have all ingredients pre-measured and prepared. Crack 5 of the 8 eggs, but do not beat.

1. Heat the milk and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, stirring until it comes to a gentle boil. Add the butter, salt, and a dash of pepper. Bring to a rolling boil.
   
2. Turn off the heat, and add the flour all at once, stirring briskly. Once incorporated into a dough, return to low heat and continue to stir the pastry until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan clean. It will be shiny and smooth. You want as much moisture as possible to evaporate, which will allow you to incorporate more eggs, creating puffy Gougères.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the five eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg thoroughly before adding the next. (If you have five unbeaten eggs in a bowl and you pour very slowly, one will separate and plop out at a time.) Continue with the remaining 3 eggs, adding one at a time. You may need 7 ½, or you may need 8. The dough should be thick enough to hold its shape when plopped on a cookie sheet, but not as dense as cookie dough. Mix in the cheese and ham when the pastry is shiny and smooth.
   
   
   
4. Using an oval soup spoon, scoop out from one-half of the dough pieces the size of an egg. With a rubber spatula, push them off the spoon onto a buttered baking sheet in a ring, leaving a space in the center about 2 ½ inches wide. Make another ring the same size just outside and on top of the first ring.
5. Brush with milk and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp finely diced cheese. Bake in 375℉ oven for 45 minutes.

• The dough can also be spooned or piped onto parchment paper in individual rounds. Size can range from bite-size (large marble) to roll size (large egg) and baked until crisp and golden brown.
• Individual puffs can also be frozen and warmed.
  

Adapted from Gourmet’s Menu Cookbook