Gougères are French choux pastries made with cheese.

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cups of milk
• 113 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 120 g of premium flour
• 3 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 0.5 cups grated Gruyere

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine 0.5 cups of water with the milk, butter, sugar, and salt. Heat, stirring, over low heat until the sugar, butter, and salt melt. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a full boil.
3. Remove from heat and immediately add flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough thickens and becomes smooth and lump-free. Return to the heat and cook, stirring, until a film forms on the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring, being careful not to scrape off the film, for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Transfer the dough to a food processor. Process for a minute to cool slightly. Without stopping the processor, add one egg at a time to the dough. Pay attention to the consistency and texture of the dough. It should be smooth and shiny, so you may only need 3 eggs. Stir in the cheese.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop out the batter and place mounds of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 cm apart. Place in the oven, immediately reduce the heat to 190°C (375°F), and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese puffs are golden brown.
   
   

   Freezing Tips

   
   You can also mix the dough in advance, place it on parchment-lined baking sheets, and freeze it. Then transfer the dough balls to a zip-lock bag and store in the freezer until ready to bake. Increase the baking time by about 5 minutes.