Gougères

A large baking tray and preheat the oven. Line a large baking tray and preheat the oven. Use baking tray. Allow 10 minutes. Keep the relevant temperature at 180 °C. The oven is fully heated to 180 °C and the tray is lined before the choux paste is mixed. Choux should go into a fully hot oven once piped. Keep the hot tray and oven door clear of bare hands.

250 ml water, 80 g butter and 2 g salt to a full boil. Bring 250 ml water, 80 g butter and 2 g salt to a full boil. Use medium saucepan. Work at medium-high heat. Allow 5 minutes. The liquid reaches a full rolling boil and the butter is completely melted. A full boil disperses the fat before the flour is added. Stand back from steam and splashing butter-water.

150 g flour at once and dry the panade. Add 150 g flour at once and dry the panade. Use saucepan and sturdy spoon. Work at medium heat. Allow 2 minutes. The panade forms one smooth ball, releases cleanly from the pan and leaves a thin film on the base. Measured drying removes enough moisture to accept the egg. The pan and paste are very hot.

The panade briefly before adding egg. Cool the panade briefly before adding egg. Use mixing bowl. Allow 5 minutes passive cooling. The panade is warm rather than steaming before the egg is added. Cooling protects the egg from scrambling on contact. Do not touch the hot panade directly.

All 200 g beaten egg gradually. Add all 200 g beaten egg gradually. Use mixing bowl and spatula. Allow 6 minutes. The paste is smooth, glossy and falls from the spatula in a supple V-shaped ribbon. Gradual addition controls choux consistency. Do not taste raw choux paste.

In all 200 g grated Comté and 1 g pepper. Fold in all 200 g grated Comté and 1 g pepper. Use mixing bowl and spatula. Allow 2 minutes. The Comté is distributed evenly through the paste with no dense cheese clumps. Even cheese distribution helps the puffs expand consistently. Keep the paste away from raw-egg contact surfaces once mixed.

Or spoon thirty 30 g mounds on the tray. Pipe or spoon thirty 30 g mounds on the tray. Use piping bag or two spoons. Allow 8 minutes. Thirty mounds of about 30 g each are spaced at least 4 cm apart. Equal size and spacing support even expansion. Keep fingers clear of the tray edge before baking.

Without opening early, then vent briefly near the end. Bake without opening early, then vent briefly near the end. Use preheated oven. Work at 180 °C conventional oven. Allow 28 minutes. Keep the relevant temperature at 180 °C. The gougères are fully puffed, deeply golden and dry at the sides. Keeping the door closed for the first 23 minutes protects steam lift; a brief final vent helps dry the shells. Use oven gloves and avoid face exposure to the burst of hot steam when venting.

Briefly on a rack. Cool briefly on a rack. Use wire rack. Allow 10 minutes passive cooling. The shells stay crisp enough to hold their shape and no longer release visible steam. A short rack cool lets excess steam escape without making the puffs soggy. Do not serve while the interior steam is hot enough to burn.