Categories: Appetizers, French, Side Dish

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)

Directions

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.

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