• 6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (90 g) butter, cubed
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Sea salt
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 heaping cup (125 g) grated Gruyère, Comté, or aged Gouda
• Freshly ground black pepper

Gougères are small crunchy cheese puffs. They don’t even need to be filled, in my opinion. That way you can really taste the delicious cheese. I adore them, especially with a glass of crisp, dry white wine. You can easily store them in an airtight container. Just give them a boost in a hot oven before serving them.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Bring 1 cup (250 ml) water, the butter, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Continue stirring over very low heat until the dough has a nice sheen and comes loose from the sides of the pan.

Remove from the heat. Let cool somewhat.

Beat the eggs in a pitcher and stir them into the flour mixture a splash at a time. Continue until all of the egg has been absorbed; you can use a hand mixer or the spoon as long as you make sure to stir thoroughly. Mix in the cheese, and add pepper to taste.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip with the batter. (You can also use two tablespoons to form dollops.) Pipe little mounds on a greased baking sheet with some space between them, as they will expand a bit. Wet your fingertip and smooth the pointy tops.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Turn off the oven and let them stand in the hot oven for another 5 minutes.

Preferably serve them while still warm, with a glass of wine or a cocktail.