Gougères

Preheat oven to 400°F

Remove the rind from the gruyere and grate it on a box grater. Feel free to sub in any cheese that's firm enough to grate. A little cheddar can really liven up the place here.

Place the water in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the milk and bring the pot to a bare, gentle simmer.

Add the butter and let it melt into the mix.

When the butter is melted, stir in the flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Continue until the flour is all fully mixed in and has thickened the mixture to a dough that comes away from the sides of the pan as you stir.

Transfer the dough into a large mixing bowl and give it 5-10 minutes to cool it down a little.

Now crack in the eggs, one by one, mixing well between additions. Don't add the next egg until the previous has been fully incorporated into the dough.

Add a pinch of salt and a few turns of black pepper.

Stir in the grated cheese. Mix well.

Scoop out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat. Dunking a spoon in hot water is helpful for scooping. Or, you can pipe the batter onto the pan from a pastry bag. The listed baking time here works well for about a 2 Tbsp portion size, but feel free to adjust the size to your liking. They will rise and spread during cooking, and a smaller puff works better for a passed app situation.

Bake for about 18-25 minutes, just until the gougéres have puffed up and browned slightly on the surface.