This is Colette Hatch’s mother’s recipe for gougères, an appetizer Hatch likes to serve at the holidays with a sparkling wine.
Makes 24 gougères
- 1 cup water
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- Pinch sea salt
- 1 cup unbleached organic flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup shredder black-label Appenzeller, Gruyere de Comté or Gruyere cheese
In a heavy sauce pan over medium heat, melt together the water, butter and sea salt. When melted, remove immediately for heat and add the four all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spatula until the mixture leave the sides of the pan and forms a ball. Add the eggs one at a time, lifting the dough to incorporate an much air as possible (this makes the puff light and fluffy). Add the shredded cheese to the dough.
On a baking sheet, make little circular mounds (with a pastry bag or with the help of two teaspoons) about 1 inch in diameter and ½ inch high for small puffs, larger for bigger puffs.
Space the mounds about 2 inches apart and bake i the lower part of a 425-degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. The gougères are done when they are golden brown, double in size and are crusty to the touch.
Cool on a wire rack. The gougères can be frozen and reheated just before serving.
