GOUGERES

Also known as FRENCH CHEESE PUFFS

Makes about 24

The classic French cheese puff is called a gougere, which means savory pastry with cheese.
These little puffballs are a flavorful bite to savor while enjoying a glass of wine or your favorite cocktail.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 whole eggs
1 1/2 cups Comte or Emmenthal cheese, grated
1 whole egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water

Heat the water in a heavy saucepan to a boil. Add the butter and salt and reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour all at once and vigorously beat the mixture until it pulls away from the sides of the saucepan.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the eggs, one at a time, making sure the egg is incorporated into the batter before adding additional eggs.
Once all the eggs are incorporated, transfer the batter to a bowl. Add the grated cheese and stir the batter to incorporate the cheese.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spoon teaspoonfull portions of the batter onto the cookie sheet or fill mixture with a pastry bag fitted with a fluted tip.
Pipe a small round of the pastry batter onto the cookie sheet. Brush each pastry shape with some of the egg and water mixture.
Bake the pastries in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pastries from the cookie sheet and serve warm.