Classy Cheese Puffs

We were invited to have drinks at our friends' house this weekend and I planned to make these gorgeous gougeres to bring with me. I bought a super sharp aged white cheddar at the grocery and had the best of intentions to arrive with these savory choux pastries in tow. Well, life got away from me and I ran out of time to make them before we had to leave. I made them the next day since the recipe was still calling my name. They were a blast to prepare and the end result was too pretty for just Forrest and myself. I can't wait to make these again for a crowd.

Salt-and-Pepper Gougeres
Adapted from Sunset December 2003

Yield

Makes 48 puffs; 12 to 14 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, cut into chunks
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh-ground pepper
• Coarse sea salt
  

Preparation

1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 cups water and the butter to a full rolling boil.

Remove from heat, add flour all at once, and stir until mixture is a smooth, thick paste with no lumps.

Add a quarter of the beaten eggs at a time,

stirring vigorously after each addition until dough is no longer slippery. Stir in cheese and pepper.

2. Spoon dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe in 48 equal mounds on two cooking parchment-lined or buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets.

(Alternatively, drop dough on sheets in slightly rounded tablespoon-size portions.) Wet your finger tip with water and press down the peak in each mound left from the pastry tip.

Sprinkle each mound with a few grains of coarse sea salt.

3. Bake in a 400° regular or convection oven until dry and well browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm. The puffs can be made up to 1 month ahead and frozen; cool, then freeze airtight. Reheat thawed puffs, uncovered, in a 375° oven until crisp and hot, about 5 minutes.