Cream Puff Cheese Biscuits also known as Gougere

One of the many cooking related gifts I received for Christmas was a cookbook from my daughter’s elementary school. It was filled with recipes sent in from various students’ parents. Funny, I sent one in but don’t see it listed. Hmmm.
Looking over the recipes, they are all very simple but you know they are exactly the kind of recipes busy families are preparing during the week. There are classics like Easy Shrimp Bake and Chicken Parmigiano but there are a few more interesting looking ones like Greek Quesadilla with Tzatziki Sauce.
One of the recipes my wife served over the holidays was for Cheese Gougere or Fluffy Biscuits. Gougeres are made from a thick paste that is also used to make cream puffs and éclairs. It’s called pate a choux that is French for “cabbage paste”. When baked in a round form, the pastry resembles small cabbages.
By adding cheese to the “cream puff paste”, you now have gougere. The secret behind the gougere is when the dough bakes; the moisture in them turns to steam and causes the small drops of dough to swell. The exteriors turn golden brown but the interiors become hollow.
We had a little problem with our Gougere. When we removed them from the oven the puffed up pastry fell. They still tasted great but something was lost in the presentation. You can see what I mean in my photo.
Not sure why they collapsed but next time I will add to the cooking time and see if that helps. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Gougere
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup of water
• 6 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2/3-cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup Swiss cheese, finely diced
How to Prepare at Home
1) Adjust the oven rack to the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Always add an additional 5 minutes when you think your oven is at temp.
2) In a saucepan, bring the water and butter to a rolling boil and immediately remove it from heat. Immediately add the salt & all the flour while continuously stirring with a wooden spoon until blended and a thick paste forms in the shape of a ball.
3) Return the pan to a medium-low heat for about one minute or until the pastry leaves the side of the pan. This helps remove any additional moisture. Be sure to keep stirring.
4) Remove the paste from the heat; transfer it to a mixing bowl and using a wooden spoon, stir in the eggs one at a time until the dough is smooth and glossy. Blend in the cheese until it is completely incorporated into the dough. The consistency should be stiff but still allow you to dollop it from a spoon.
5) Using a pastry bag if you have one or just a spoon if you don’t, make 1-inch diameter dollops of dough to form a ring being sure the sides of the dollops are touching.
6) Using a pastry brush and egg yolk mixed with a little water, paint a glaze on each puff.
7) Bake 20 to 30 minutes until the dough puffs up and they are golden in color. Once golden, turn off the oven and let the Gougere sit for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from oven and loosen the biscuits with a spatula. Let the biscuits cool and serve warm