← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 250 ml Water
• 110 g Butter, cubed
• ½ tsp Salt
• 140 g plain flour
• 4 large eggs
• 125 g gruyère or comté, finely grated, plus 25 g for the tops
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 1 pinch Black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Bring the water, butter and salt to the boil in a saucepan. As soon as the butter has melted, take it off the heat, tip in all the flour and beat hard with a wooden spoon until smooth.
3. Return the pan to medium heat and stir for 1–2 min, until the dough forms a ball and leaves a thin film on the base of the pan. Tip into a bowl and cool for 3–4 min.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing each in completely before adding the next. Stop when the dough is glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V shape; you may not need the last bit of egg.
5. Stir in the cheese, nutmeg and pepper. Spoon or pipe walnut-sized mounds 4 cm apart on the trays and sprinkle with the extra cheese.
6. Bake for 20–25 min, until puffed, deep golden and light when lifted; keep the oven door shut at first or they may sink. Poke each one with a knife tip to let the steam out and serve warm.

Tips

• Freeze the unbaked mounds on a tray, then bag them; bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.
• Gruyère is made with animal rennet, so check the label if you cook for strict vegetarians.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Mon Petit Four What's Cooking America