French Cooking: Comté Cheese Puffs (Gougères)

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic not only had us confined to our homes for weeks, but somehow it managed to revive our love for baking at home, as well. Not exactly a magician in the kitchen, I have been experimenting with easy recipes, like this one suggested by Chef Jean Marc Diop, whom I had the pleasure of interviewing last year for Taste of France Magazine.

Photo and recipe: ©Jean Marc Diop

Ingredients:

250 g Cold water 

250 g Whole milk

  11 g Fine Salt 

180 g Sweet Butter

300 g Strong Flour (T55) 

10 Eggs

220 g Grated Comté cheese

Directions:

Heat your oven to 175C (350F).To make the panade (batter), place the water, milk, salt, and butter in a medium saucepan. Heat to a boil. Break the eggs in a separate bowl. When the mixture starts to boil, while still on the stove, add the flour at once and mix vigorously with a spatula. The result should be a firm dough. Remove the saucepan from the stove and start adding the eggs in three batches, until you have a soft and smooth mixture. Add the grated cheese and mix well (at this stage your preparation is lukewarm). Spoon mini heaps or form small balls with a pastry bag. Add a bit of grated cheese on top before placing them in the oven. Bake for at least 20 minutes.