Crisp on the outside, light on the inside and full of savoury Comté, these little French cheese puffs make an elegant starter served warm. Finely chopped chives add a fresh, gently oniony note.
Gougères are savoury cheese puffs made by mixing grated cheese into warm choux pastry. Comté works well in the dough: this French mountain cheese has a full, nutty flavour that comes through beautifully as it bakes. Chives keep everything fresh without overpowering the cheese. Serve the puffs as a small bite before a meal, ideally soon after they come out of the oven. They also work well with an aperitif or alongside a light salad as part of a more substantial starter.
Their airy centre begins on the stove. Milk, water and butter are heated together, then the flour is added all at once. Stirring the mixture firmly cooks the flour and brings the dough together into a ball that pulls away from the pan. Let it steam off for a little while before adding the eggs. This prevents the egg from setting straight away. Stir in the eggs gradually: the dough should be smooth, glossy and firm enough to pipe into mounds. Depending on the size of the eggs, you may need a little less or more.
Comté is not always available; Gruyère is a good substitute with a similar savoury depth. A well-aged Emmental also works, though the flavour will be milder. Grate the cheese yourself so that it mixes evenly into the dough. Use fresh chives and chop them finely; dried chives have a less fresh flavour and are not as good a match for the soft centre. You can add a pinch of nutmeg or black pepper, but go easy on the salt: the cheese is already salty.
The mounds should be roughly the same size so they bake evenly. Leave space between the puffs, as they expand. The first stage in a properly preheated oven helps them rise; don't open the oven door while they are still taking shape, or they may collapse. Once the outside is golden brown and firm, it's important to bake them through: this keeps the centre airy rather than wet. Serve them warm, while the crust is still crisp and the aroma of the cheese comes through clearly.
To prepare them ahead, pipe the dough balls onto a baking sheet and freeze them unbaked. Once firm, store them in a sealed freezer container and bake them straight from frozen; allow a few extra minutes and check for colour and firmness. Baked gougères are best eaten the same day. You can briefly reheat them in an oven at 160 °C to crisp up the crust a little; they will soften in the microwave.
Preheat the oven to 200 °C, conventional. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the milk, water, butter and salt to a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture just comes to a boil.
Briefly remove the pan from the heat. Add the flour all at once and stir firmly with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together.
Return the pan to low heat. Stir the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, until it pulls away from the pan as a ball and a thin film forms on the bottom. Transfer the dough to a mixing bowl and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
Beat the eggs. Stir them into the dough a little at a time, waiting each time until the egg is incorporated. The dough is ready when it is smooth and glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V shape. You may have a little egg left over.
Fold the grated Comté, chives and black pepper into the dough. Transfer it to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle about 1 cm wide. Pipe 20 small mounds, about 3 cm across, onto the baking sheet, leaving enough space between them. Smooth down any peaks with a wet finger.
Bake the gougères for 15 minutes at 200 °C. Reduce the oven temperature to 180 °C and bake for another 10–15 minutes, until golden brown and firm. Do not open the oven door while they bake.
Leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and serve warm.
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