Cheese Puffs (a la Julia Child)
Kitchen Tested 
- Yield 40 pieces
- Prep 30 mins
- Cook 30 mins
A savory, cheesy side dish.
Be sure to cook the water, butter, flour mixture until it's difficult to stir and it forms a ball-like mass. This version is made without the use of a mixer.
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 eggs
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 to 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- Paprika
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
- Break eggs into a small bowl. Beat lightly. Measure. You will need 1 cup of beaten egg.
- Combine butter, water, sugar, salt and cayenne in a large saucepan. Cook until mixture comes to a boil and butter melts. Remove from heat. Add flour all at once. Stir until smooth. Return to heat and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture forms a ball and clears the pan bottom and sides, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon 1 to 2 minutes to cool slightly. Form a well in the center of dough. Pour in 1/4 cup beaten eggs. Stir until smooth. (Mixture will look like it’s separating and will be lumpy. Stir vigorously until smooth.) Add another 1/4 cup eggs. Stir until smooth. Repeat with another 1/4 cup eggs and the final 1/4 cup. (Mixture should hold its shape when you scoop up a heaping spoonful.)
- Fold in cheese.
- Drop by tablespoons onto baking pans. Sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until browned and crispy. Leftover puffs can be frozen.
