Nicole Kaplan's Gougères (Served at Eleven Madison Park)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup bread flour
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 6 ounces grated Gruyère cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (54 servings)

    35 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 19 milligrams cholesterol; 49 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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About 4 1/2 dozen

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees if baking the gougères right away. Bring water, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the cayenne to a boil in a small saucepan.
2. Place the flour in the bowl of a mixer, add the boiling water mixture and mix with a paddle, if available (not a whisk), or use a wooden spoon in a bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until the dough is smooth. Beat in the cheese and mix until dough is thick and cheese has pretty much melted. Place the dough in a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain tip.
3. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment and pipe the dough in small mounds onto them. Sprinkle each with a pinch of extra grated cheese and kosher salt. Bake 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed about 3 times their original size. Try not to open the oven door for the first 10-12 minutes to keep them from deflating. Serve and eat IMMEDIATELY!

• Kaplan pipes the gougères, sprinkles them with cheese and refrigerates them or freezes them overnight. Let the frozen gougères thaw at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees (about 15 minutes). Sprinkle the thawed or refrigerated gougères with salt and bake 25-30 minutes, until golden and puffed.

45 minutes