Gougères

Serves 4 (makes about 30 gougères)

250ml water
165g unsalted butter
5g crushed black pepper
12g cooking salt
250g plain flour
10g nutmeg, freshly microplaned
4 free-range eggs
95g Gruyère cheese, finely grated
30g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp chopped chives

Heat oven to 210C

Method

1. Place water and butter in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, add salt and pepper.

2. Add the flour, stirring vigorously. This will cook the flour and bring it away from the sides of the saucepan creating a choux pastry.

3. Stir over heat for another 90 seconds and remove from heat.

4. Add the choux pastry directly to a free-standing kitchen mixer, with paddle attachment. Begin mixing, add nutmeg.

5. While the mixer is on slow, add one egg at a time, allowing it to be completely incorporated within the pastry before adding the next.

6. After the last egg, add chives and the grated cheeses then turn off mixer.

7. Remove pastry from the mixer and bring together in the bowl with a spatula.

8. Line baking trays with baking paper and arrange 30 spooned dollops of the choux pastry on the trays – about one heaped teaspoon per gougère.

9. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Serve immediately.