Pimiento Cheese Gougères
Serves: approximately 24
 
Ingredients
  • 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1⁄2 cup water
  • 1⁄2 cup whole milk
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
  • Garnish: sea salt flakes
  • Pimiento Cheese, room temperature (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil together over medium heat butter, 1⁄2 cup water, milk, and salt. Reduce heat to low. Add flour, dry mustard, and red pepper, stirring with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms, approximately 2 minutes.
  3. Turn out dough into a large bowl and let cool for 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with a mixer at medium speed after each addition. Beat in cheese and chives until well combined.
  4. Transfer batter to a large piping bag fitted with a 1⁄2-inch round tip (Wilton #1A). Hold tip perpendicular and 1⁄2 inch above parchment paper. Holding tip stationary, the entire time, apply even pressure to pipe a 1 1⁄2-inch-wide mound of batter. Stop applying pressure and move tip in a quick circular motion as you lift away to help prevent a point from forming on top. Repeat with remaining batter, spacing mounds at least 1 inch apart. With a wet finger, press down any points of dough to create a smooth top, if necessary.
  5. Garnish gougères with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes, if desired.
  6. Bake until gougères are puffed and golden brown, 23 to 25 minutes.
  7. Using a 1⁄4-inch round piping tip (Ateco #802), poke a hole in center bottom of each gougère. Insert a skewer into hole and move it around to ensure filling will fill entire gougère. Place Pimento Cheese in a piping bag fitted with same 1⁄4-inch round tip. Place tip into hole and apply gentle pressure to fill each gougère. Serve within 2 hours.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tips: Gougères can be prepared up to a day in advance and stored in a single layer in an airtight container. Fill with Pimiento Cheese no sooner than 2 hours before serving.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/pimiento-cheese-gougeres/