Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Prepare the cheese and baking sheet
Finely grate the Comté. Preheat the oven to 200 °C using conventional top and bottom heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the pastry base
Put the water, milk, butter, and salt in a saucepan. Heat until the butter has melted and the liquid begins to boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously until a smooth ball of dough forms.
Dry the dough and mix in the eggs
Return the pan to low heat and stir the dough for 1 to 2 minutes to evaporate excess moisture; a thin film should form on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the dough to a bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes. Beat the eggs with a fork and gradually beat them into the dough. Add the next portion only after the previous one has been fully incorporated.
Season and shape the puffs
Stir the grated Comté, black pepper, and nutmeg into the dough. Using two teaspoons, shape 20 mounds, about 3 cm in diameter, on the baking sheet. Leave at least 3 cm between them.
Bake until golden
Bake for 10 minutes at 200 °C, then reduce the temperature to 180 °C and bake for another 12 to 15 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking. The gougères are ready when puffed and evenly golden; serve warm.
