Gougères au Comté

Gougères are the beloved choux pastry puffs of Burgundy, traditionally served warm alongside an aperitif or wine tasting. Made with nutty Comté or Gruyère, they are light, hollow, cheesy, and deeply addictive — the quintessential French late-night snack and dinner-party opener.

Serves: 6 (makes about 30 puffs)

Ingredients

• 250ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 130g (1 cup) plain flour, sifted
• 4 large eggs
• 120g (4 oz) Comté cheese (or Gruyère), finely grated
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp milk (egg wash)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Combine milk, butter, salt, and pepper in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
3. Remove from heat and immediately add all the flour at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball forms and pulls away from the sides.
4. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, 1–2 minutes to dry out the dough slightly.
5. Transfer to a bowl. Allow to cool 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition — the paste should become smooth and glossy and fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon.
6. Stir in Comté, mustard, and nutmeg.
7. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle. Pipe rounds 3cm (1.2 inches) in diameter onto prepared sheets, spacing 4cm apart.
8. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle extra grated cheese on top.
9. Bake 22–25 minutes until puffed and deep golden. Do not open the oven during baking.
10. Serve warm — they are best eaten within 30 minutes of baking.

Cook's Notes: The choux dough can be piped onto sheets and frozen raw — bake from frozen at 190°C adding 5–8 extra minutes. Reheating leftover gougères at 180°C for 5 minutes revives their crispness.