La Varenne Gougères

Name: La Varenne Gougères
Yield: makes 20 medium puffs
Ingredients: 3/4 cup water; 1/3 cup unsalted butter; 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt; 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 5 large eggs, at room temperature; 3/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)

December 9, 2011

This is a savory version of the classic French pastry dough pâte à choux used to make profiteroles and éclairs. Gougères are a classic Burgundian treat commonly served with apéritifs at parties, bistros, and wine bars. You can increase the recipe (see Variation, following), but do not double it, as it does not multiply well. A note of encouragement: don’t panic when you are adding the eggs and the dough starts to look awful. Just keep stirring and it will come together.

Recipe notes

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