Gougeres French Cheese Puffs

• tablespoons butter↗5
• teaspoon salt↗1
• teaspoon fresh ground black pepper↗1⁄4
• teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg↗1⁄4
• cup water, plus↗1
• teaspoon water, divided↗1⁄2
• cup all-purpose flour↗1
• cup grated gruyere cheese1
• large eggs, at room temperature (very important)↗5

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 425.

2. 2

   Add butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg to 1 cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

3. 3

   When butter melts, reduce the heat to low.

4. 4

   Add flour to saucepan all at once and beat with a wooden spoon over low heat for about a minute until mixture pulls away from sides of the pan.

5. 5

   Remove pan from heat.

6. 6

   Add cheese to pan and beat with wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.

7. 7

   Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating each into the batter until well mixed before adding the next.

8. 8

   Continue beating mixture until it is smooth, shiny and firm.

9. 9

   Drop batter in small spoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

10. 10

    Beat remaining egg with 1/2 tbsp water, then brush tops of uncooked gougeres with egg wash.

11. 11

    Bake in upper third of the over for 15-20 minutes or until golden and doubled in size.

12. 12

    Remove from oven serve hot or can be served at room temperature.