GOUGÈRES, a savory French Cheese Puff

I had a ton of Gruyere cheese that I needed to use, and a Super Bowl party  to attend, so decided that these tasty little puffs would do nicely. This is basically a savory cream puff, minus the cream filling. 

These are from a French cookbook: Saveur Cooks- Authentic French Cooking. I think this is one of the cookbooks Crystal brought back from France after spending a semester there. These are awesome!! But really are best within the first few hours; Not nearly as good the next day. Although they can be warmed on a Pampered Chef stone which greatly improves it!

GOUGÈRES

French cheese puff

8 TBL butter, cut into pieces

¾ cup milk

Salt & freshly ground pepper*

1 cup flour

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 ½ cups Comte or Gruyere cheese (also can use asiago and romano or parmesan)

Preheat oven to 400

Combine butter and ½ cup milk with ½ cup water in medium saucepan over high heat.

Season generously with salt & pepper. 

Bring to a boil. When butter is melted, remove pan from heat. 

Add flour all at once and stir vigorously w/ wooden spoon until it forms a thick dough and pulls away from the sides of the pan. (1-2min) 

Return to heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  

When cooled to room temperature, beat eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition. Dough will be thick, shiny and smooth. 

Add one cup cheese and mix well.

Spoon by TBLS onto baking sheet. (I used the small Pampered Chef scoop) Leave 1” between puffs and they will spread. 

Brush with remaining milk and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake 20-25 minutes on lower half of oven until doubled in size and golden.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 3 doz.

*Note: I used ½ tsp each: salt, pepper and garlic