Small Burgundian Comté choux puffs, nicely puffed, golden and light, with a delicately crisp crust and a soft, airy, and cheesy center. This recipe yields about thirty gougères, or five pieces per person.
Ingredients
- 250 ml water
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 150 g T55 wheat flour
- 5 pieces medium fresh eggs
- 150 g aged Comté AOP
- 4 g fine salt
- 1 pinch whole nutmeg
- 1 pinch black pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to two hundred degrees Celsius on the conventional setting. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Finely grate the Comté and reserve a small amount for the tops of the gougères.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl, then beat them briefly with a fork so they can be incorporated gradually, allowing for better control over the consistency of the dough.
- Combine the water, cubed butter, and salt in a saucepan. Heat gently until the butter is completely melted, then bring to a rolling boil.
- Briefly remove the saucepan from the heat. Add all the flour at once and mix immediately with a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains.
- Return the saucepan to medium heat and vigorously work the dough. Roll and press it against the sides until it forms a smooth ball, pulls away cleanly from the pan, and leaves a dry film on the bottom.
- Transfer the panade to a bowl and stir it for a few moments to release the excess heat. It should remain hot, but no longer be scalding hot so it does not cook the eggs.
- Incorporate the beaten eggs gradually, mixing thoroughly after each addition. At first, the dough will separate and appear slippery: continue to work it until it becomes perfectly smooth again before adding more egg.
- Check the consistency before finishing the incorporation. The dough should be smooth, satiny, and supple, but hold its shape. When you lift the spoon, it should fall back slowly, forming a thick ribbon that ends in a point. Do not add the rest of the eggs if this texture is already achieved.
- Add the grated Comté, nutmeg, and pepper. Mix just enough to evenly distribute the cheese without unnecessarily slackening the dough.
- Drop small, even mounds onto the baking sheets using two spoons or a piping bag fitted with a plain tip. Space them widely, as they will puff up significantly. Pat down the peaks with a slightly damp finger, then sprinkle the reserved Comté on top.
- Bake immediately without opening the door during the rising phase. When the gougères are well-developed and beginning to brown, reduce the oven to one hundred eighty degrees Celsius and continue baking until they are evenly golden brown, firm, and light.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the gougères dry out for a few minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack so the steam can escape without softening their bases.
- Serve the gougères while still warm, portioned at about five pieces per person.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 372.1 kcal
- Protein
- 14.71 g
- Carbohydrate
- 18.68 g
- Fat
- 26.6 g
- Fibre
- 0.79 g
- Calcium
- 257.73 mg
- Iron
- 0.41 mg
- Magnesium
- 18.33 mg
