Gougeres (aka French Cheese Puffs)

Gougères (aka Cheese Puffs) are a favorite of mine. My mother would make some for us on a week night. We would eat a few small ones (or a big one depending on the size) for dinner together with a green salad (and generally after a bowl of freshly-made soup). I can't tell you how much I love gougères . I had almost forgotten about them (I am ashamed to say it)... until I saw some featured in a French cooking magazine a few weeks ago. It hit me right back. My mouth started watering and I made my first batch that same day.
Around the same time, The Pioneer Woman was featuring some on her website. I got very excited (as always when I see a mouth-watering dish I love) until I read further and realized that she was not talking about the gougères I loved whatsoever. Let's just say hers are very interesting different from the one I make and love (did I say that already?)).

Since it was the first time I was making gougères for my family, my children looked at them and took a first bite... and then asked for more!  Always a good sign! Because I was so happy to have home-made gougères again, I decided to make more in the future with other ingredients. Stay put if you want more variations sur le thème...
Gougères , very much like their sweet cousins Chouquettes, are very easy to make. You just have to be fully prepared when you start because making them is like being a surgeon in your kitchen! Once you have started, it has to go smoothly but efficiently until the end.... The very good thing about gougères is that you can shape them in any size: bite-size or more donut-size. I find it great for children. They are perfect to serve as an entree like my mom used to do, as an appetizer, or just to bite on with a drink or before/during/after some big sport show coming up in the US. But you know, I don't need a game to make me bake gougères. Any day is a good excuse! Bon Appétit!

Ingredients: 
(make about 20 small gougères)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
- 3 Tb (40 gr) salted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/4 ts salt
- a pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 cup (70gr) flour
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (about 80gr) grated cheese (Swiss preferably)

• Preheat oven to 400F (200C)
• Put some Parchment paper on a baking sheet and get everything ready!
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter in water and salt and pepper over medium heat. When the butter is melted and the liquid start to simmer, dump the flour in the saucepan and stir constantly. When the dough is not sticking to the edges of the saucepan anymore, remove from heat. Let cool for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so as to let some steam out. This will prevent the eggs from "cooking".
• Add one egg at a time, stirring constantly. This is a tricky part where you feel that the whole mixture is going to get out of your saucepan. However, as you stir and stir, it will smooth and stick back to the bottom and edges of the pan.
• Add the grated cheese and stir.
• Scoop out some dough on the baking sheet, leaving some space between the gougères.
• Cover with a few extra shreds of cheese.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the gougères are golden brown.
• Cool on a rack for a few minutes... They are best eaten warm.

My Personal Comments:

• You can start adding spices (paprika, cumin, chili) or herbs (chives, green onions, etc.) if you want to. Add the spices at the beginning (with the butter/water); add the herbs at the end (with the cheese).
• I use a tea spoon to scoop the gougères.