Cheese Puff

Catherine's recipe

A Burgundian recipe served as an hors-d'oeuvre.

Ingredients:

250 g sifted flour
1 1/2 cups water
1stick butter (8tbsp)
5 eggs (or 4 big eggs)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups grated gruyere or swiss cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 400 F.In a large saucepan, combine butter, salt and water.

Bring to a boil on medium heat. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Continue to cook for about one minute, to eliminate excess moisture.

Transfer to a bowl or in a mixer and let cool for a few minutes.

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time by hand with a wooden spoon, or on low speed with a mixer.

Beat the dough until it is smooth and shiny.

Stir in the grated cheese.

Shape the dough into about 24 puffs on a baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400F then reduce the temperature to 350 F and continue to bake until golden brown and very firm at the touch, 20 to 25 minutes more.