CHEESE PUFFS--GOUGERES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400° and lightly butter a baking sheet.
• In a large saucepan, combine the water, salt, and butter and heat gently until the butter is melted.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour onto a piece of parchment paper.
• Bring the butter mixture just to a boil; take from the heat and immediately add all the flour.
• Beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for a few moments until the mixture pulls away from the pan sides to form a ball.
• Beat for 30 seconds to 1 minute over low heat to dry the dough.
• Beat 1 egg and set aside; beat the remaining eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Beat in enough reserved egg so the dough is shiny and just falls from the spoon.
• If too much egg is added, the dough will be too soft and not hold its shape.
• Rub the top of the dough with butter to prevent a skin from forming, and set aside until cool.
• Cut the gruyere cheese in tiny dice, or coarsely grate it, and beat it into the dough.
• Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip and pipe 1 1/2 inch mounds on the baking sheet, spacing them well apart as they will puff during baking.
• Alternately, drop mounds of dough on the baking sheet using 2 small spoons.
• Brush the mounds with the egg glaze and sprinkle with grated gruyere.
• Bake until golden brown and crisp, 25-30 minutes.
• The puffs often seem done too soon, so take out a puff and let it cool for a minute or two to check if it is ready before removing the rest.
• The puff should stay crisp on the outside and slightly soft inside.
• Gougeres are at their best warm from the oven.