Cheddar Cheese Puffs

Light and airy savory cheese puffs (gourgères) with cheddar cheese and thyme.

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces)
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Boil the water, butter, salt:

In a medium sized saucepan, add the water, butter, and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Add the flour and stir:

Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir rapidly. The mixture will form a dough ball that will pull away from the sides of the pan. It helps to use a wooden spoon to stir as the dough will be rather thick. Continue to cook for a couple minutes.

Let cool a couple minutes, then add eggs, one at a time:

Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for a couple of minutes. Stir so that the dough cools more evenly. You want the dough to be warm, just not so hot that when you start adding eggs they cook as they hit the dough.

Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until the eggs are incorporated into the dough. (Do this part in a mixer if you want, or by hand with a wooden spoon.) The dough should become rather creamy.

Stir in the grated cheese, thyme, and a few grinds of pepper.

Scoop spoonfuls onto lined baking sheet:

Heat oven to 425°F. Spoon out small balls (about a heaping tablespoon) of the dough onto a silicone or parchment lined baking sheet, with at least an inch separating the spoonfuls.

Bake:

Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes at 425°F. Lower heat to 350°F and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until puffed up and lightly golden.