gruyere gougére

Preheat oven to moderately hot (200’C/180’C fan-forced).

Place stock and butter in a medium saucepan and stir until butter melts. As soon as liquid boils, remove from the heat and add sugar and flour together; beat with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute or until mixture leaves side of pan. Continue to beat for 30 seconds to one minute back over low heat to allow the mixture to dry. Remove from heat.

Still using the wooden spoon, beat eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.  Stir in cheese, mustard and cayenne.

Using two teaspoons, place small mounds of dough well apart on a lightly buttered baking sheet.  Alternatively put dough into a pastry bag fitting with a 1cm plain tube and pipe dough into 3.5cm mounds.  Bake in moderately hot oven for 15 minutes or until puffed. Reduce temperature to moderate (180’C/160’C fan-forced) and bake for a further 5 minutes or until browned. (Choux pastry invariable looks done before it is ready and must continue to ‘dry’ for five to ten minutes after it has browned.  Cracks will appear and these too should be brown).

Transfer puffs to a rack to cook and split them while they are still warm to release the steam and prevent softening.  To store, place in an airtight container when cold.