La Gougere (Allen)

Ingredients

1/2 C unsalted butter (1 stick) - cut into four chunks

1/2 C whole milk

1/2t fine sea salt

1C all-purpose flour

4 eggs @ room temperature; 1 egg white

2t Dijon mustard

1 1/2C loosely packed shredded cheddar

2/3C lightly toasted chopped walnuts

Directions

Set a rack in the center of oven - preheat to 400; Line two cookie sheets with parchment

Put the butter, milk and salt and 1/2C water in a saucepan - bring to boil. Add flour all at once - set heat to med-low - stir without stopping until the mixture pulls away from the pan and forms a ball. Continue stirring energetically for three more minutes - the drier the dough, the better!

Scrape the dough into a mixer bowl with paddle attachment (or metal bowl if mixing by hand) - let dough rest for one minute

With mixer at medium speed, add one egg at a time - waiting approx one minute before adding the next egg. As you're working the dough may break into curds - just keep going. Its always fine once the egg white goes in

Beat the egg white, then add in the mustard. Reduce mixer to low and blend in the cheese; then the nuts

Give the dough a few good beats with a sturdy spatula

Working with a small cookie scoop, make balls approx 2T ea - leaving approx 1" between each ball. Gougeres can be cooked frozen - so go ahead to freezer, if desired.

Turn oven to 375 - cook one sheet at a time for approx 22-24 minutes - or until the gougeres are firm enough to pick up. (If baking from frozen, let them thaw on cookie sheet while oven preheats - cooking time may be a bit longer)

Serve immediately; they can be reheated in 350 oven

Notes

Bill and Amabel Allen