Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Heat the water and butter
Preheat the oven to 200 °C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the water, butter, and salt in a small saucepan and heat until the butter has melted and the liquid begins to boil.
Cook the choux pastry
Remove the pan from the heat, add all the flour at once, and stir vigorously until a smooth ball of dough forms. Return the pan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until a thin film forms on the bottom of the pan.
Mix in the eggs and cheese
Transfer the dough to a bowl and stir for about 2 minutes to let it cool slightly. Beat the eggs with a fork and gradually work them into the dough. Stir in the grated Comté, black pepper, and nutmeg; the finished dough should be thick, smooth, and glossy.
Shape the small puffs
Use two teaspoons to drop 16 mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spacing them about 3 cm apart. Each mound should be about 3 cm in diameter.
Bake until golden
Bake for 10 minutes at 200 °C, then, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 180 °C and bake for another 15 minutes. The gougères should be puffed and evenly golden brown. Serve slightly warm.
