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Gougères

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  • ACTIVE: 20 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 1 HR
  • SERVINGS: Makes 4 dozen gougères
  • •MAKE-AHEAD
  • •VEGETARIAN

Le Bar du Plaza Athénée • Paris

At the über-elegant Hôtel Plaza Athénée, pastry chef Christophe Michalak serves these diminutive cheese puffs to guests who order drinks at the bar.

  1. 1/4 cup water
  2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  3. 2 teaspoons dry white wine
  4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  5. Pinch of freshly ground pepper
  6. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  7. 2 large eggs
  8. 3 1/2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups)
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, wine, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Add the flour all at once and beat with a wooden spoon until the dough is smooth and gathers into a ball, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let stand until cooled slightly, about 5 minutes. Beat in 1 egg at a time, beating until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky between additions. Stir in the Gruyère.
  2. Fit a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch tip and fill the bag with the dough. Pipe 1-inch mounds of the dough onto 2 parchment paper–lined baking sheets. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheese puffs are golden, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Serve warm.