Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 6 slices prosciutto
- 1 cup water
- 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 tsp. Kosher salt
- Pinch of sugar
- Freshly ground white pepper to taste
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 - 5 large eggs
- 5 oz. Gruyère; grated
Preparation:
1. Heat the oven to 450F. Line a pair of baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Slightly cook prosciutto in a skillet over medium heat – about 10 seconds per side. Then coarsely chop by hand, you should have about 1/3 cup lightly packed.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, butter, salt, pepper, and sugar and bring to a boil. Add all the flour at once, reduce the heat to medium, and stir for 2 minutes, or until the mixture forms a ball and the excess moisture has evaporated (if the ball forms more quickly, continue to cook and stir for a full 2 minutes).
4. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle and beat for about 30 seconds at medium speed to cool slightly.
5. Add 4 eggs and continue to mix until completely combined and the batter has a smooth, silky texture.
6. Stop the machine and lift up the beater to check the consistency of the batter. The batter in the mixing bowl should form a peak with a tip that falls over. If it is too stiff, beat in the white of the remaining egg. Check again and, if necessary, add the yolk.
7. Finally, mix in 3/4 cup of the Gruyère and chopped prosciutto.
8. Fill a one-gallon heavy plastic bag with the gougère batter and snip off a bottom corner. Pipe the batter into 1-tablespoon mounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the gougères.
9. Sprinkle the top of each gougère with about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining grated cheese and bake for 7 to 8 minutes (my oven needs 10 minutes), or until they puff and hold their shape.
10. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. When the gougères are done, they should be a light golden brown color. (Note: Unless you have a convection oven, I recommend cooking these in two batches, if you have a convection oven you may be able to cook both sheets at once.)