Baked Cheese Puffs

Ingredients

• ●120 ml (½ cup) water
• ●60 g (¼ cup / ½ stick) unsalted butter
• ●¼ tsp fine sea salt
• ●75 g (⅔ cup) all-purpose flour
• ●2 large eggs
• ●80 g (¾ cup) finely grated sharp cheddar
• ●30 g (⅓ cup) finely grated Parmesan
• ●½ tsp smoked paprika
• ●¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the water, butter, and salt to a boil. Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Let cool for 2 minutes, then add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously after each until the dough is smooth and glossy. (This takes some elbow grease — or use a stand mixer.)
4. Stir in the cheeses, paprika, and cayenne.
5. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto the prepared sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. (Or pipe using a pastry bag for uniform puffs.)
6. Bake 20-25 minutes until puffed, golden, and crispy. Don't open the oven door during the first 15 minutes or they may deflate.
7. Serve warm.
8. *Storage:** Best eaten fresh. Store in an airtight container for 2 days; re-crisp in a 177°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes.