Comté gougères

Makes 6 Starters and mains

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Method

Combine the milk and butter in a small pan and place over a low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the flour and use a whisk to stir, switching to a wooden spoon when the mixture becomes thick. Stir the dough until you can see a film has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Immediately transfer the dough to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Preheat the oven to 230C/ 210C F/Gas 8 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Turn the mixer on to a medium-high speed and let it run for about a minute to cool the dough down slightly. Add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for each egg to be completely incorporated before you add the next.

Add the salt and half the grated cheese and mix for around 30 seconds on a medium speed until well combined. Grease a 1⁄4 cup measuring cup (or similar scoop) with a little olive oil and use it to scoop the dough into balls, completely filling the cup. Flip the gougère out on to the baking tray. Repeat with the remainder of the dough, being sure to leave a 5cm space between the gougères to allow for the dough to expand as it bakes.

Mix the extra egg with 1tsp water and beat well with a fork. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the gougères with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the remaining cheese. It will look like a lot – don’t worry if some falls on to the tray. Sprinkle cracked black pepper over the tops and put the tray in the oven.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until the dough puffs and turns lightly golden, then reduce the heat to 150C/130C F/ Gas 2 and bake for a further 30- 35 minutes, until the gougères are golden and crisp all over. Remove the tray from the oven and serve the gougères warm.

COOK’S NOTE
You can freeze the prepared and topped gougères before baking, then bake from frozen when ready – just extend the baking time at the higher temperature by 5–7 minutes.

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