GOUGERS

Gougeres
Cheese Puffs!


1 1/4 cups nonfat milk
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
3/4 cup grated gruyere cheese, plus a little extra for topping (4 ounces)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment, or butter well. Combine milk, butter and salt in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until a rolling boil is achieved. Dump in the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring over heat until it forms a smooth mass which pulls away from the walls of the pan, about 3 minutes.

Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or to a heat-proof mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on medium, or beat with a wooden spoon. Add 5 eggs, one at a time, beating until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough should be very thick, smooth, and shiny. Add the cheese, pepper and thyme. Form 8 mounds, 3" across and 1" high, on sheet pans, spaced about 2" apart. Beat remaining egg with a pinch of salt and brush onto mounds. Sprinkle with grated cheese. 

Bake in preheated oven until puffed and golden-brown, 35-40 minutes. Poke holes in the side of each puff to allow steam to escape. If you plan to split and fill them, let them cool to room temperature; if not, serve hot, warm or at room temperature