A gougeres kind of day - 300 but who's counting?

Today was one of those days at work (Jamie's today) where I made a lot of one thing. Cheese puffs anyone?  I made 350 but somehow I only ended up with 300.  These magical puffs are so irresistible that it's no surprise 50 went missing. When I am not on the clock, I like to pair them with a little bubbly. 

Thank you Thomas Keller & the French Laundry Cookbook for contributing to this post.

Gougeres1 cup water
7 tablespoons (3-1/2 ounces) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or more to taste
Pinch of sugar
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1-1/4 cups grated Gruyère, divided
Freshly ground white pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper.


In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ball and the excess moisture has evaporated (if the ball forms more quickly, continue to cook and stir for a full 2 minutes).
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle and beat for about 30 seconds at medium speed to cool slightly. Add 4 eggs and continue to mix until completely combined and the batter has a smooth, silky texture. Stop the machine and lift up the beater to check the consistency of the batter. The batter in the mixing bowl should form a peak with a tip that falls over. Finally, mix in 3/4 cup of the Gruyère and adjust the seasoning with salt and white pepper.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a 3/8-inch plain pastry tip with the gougère batter. Pipe the batter into 1-tablespoon mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the gougères as the mixture will spread during baking. Think the size of a Hershey Kiss. Sprinkle the top of each gougère with about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they puff and hold their shape. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. When the gougères are done, they should be a light golden brown color. When you break one open, it should be hollow; the inside should be cooked but still slightly moist. Remove the pans from the oven and serve the gougères while hot.

Note: alternatively use two spoons, dipped in water, instead of a piping bag to create little mounds of dough on the baking sheets.
Makes about 30-40 puffs