Gougères stuffed with Bechamel

Cook Time 1 hour

Makes 40

Ingredients

125ml water

125ml milk

80g butter, chopped

4 eggs 

150g sifted flour

50g Gruyere, Comte or Cheddar, finely grated

Pinch of salt

Pinch of nutmeg

Bechamel 

30g butter 

30g flour 

300ml milk

50g Gruyere, Comte or Cheddar, finely grated

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

In a saucepan, place the water, milk, butter, nutmeg and salt and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and then add the flour all at once and mix thoroughly. Continue mixing over low heat for about 1 minute, or until a light crust forms at the bottom of the pan.

Let it cool for a minute or so, then add one egg at a time, mixing by hand or with a stand mixer between each addition. The dough should be smooth and silky.

Line a baking tray with baking paper, and either use a piping bag or 2 tsp to form small ten-cent-piece-sized mounds of pastry, leaving 3cm between each mound, as they will spread as they cook.

Sprinkle a small handful of cheese onto each choux and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and crusty. 

For the bechamel sauce, melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat, add the flour and stir continuously for about a minute. Pour in a quarter of the milk, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Whisk in the remaining milk. Whisk until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and remove from the heat. Stir in the 50g of cheese. Cool slightly and place in a piping bag.

Poke a hole in the base of each choux and fill with the bechamel.