Spicy Pimento Cheese Gougères

These Pimento Cheese Gougères were created by @Charlottesville_Eats on Instagram, be sure to check out all of their amazing dishes! (adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)

INGREDIENTS

2 large eggs

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

Pinch cayenne pepper

½ cup (2 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

4 ounces Birdie’s Pimento Cheese (We used Ghost Pepper for a hot little bite!)

INSTRUCTIONS

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Heat water, butter, and cayenne in small saucepan over medium heat. When mixture begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and immediately stir in flour using wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly, using smearing motion, until mixture is very thick, forms ball, and pulls away from sides of saucepan, about 30 seconds.

Immediately transfer mixture to food processor and process with feed tube open for 5 seconds to cool slightly. With processor running, gradually add eggs and salt, then scrape down sides of bowl and add pimento cheese. Process until paste is very glossy, 30 to 40 seconds. (If not using immediately, transfer paste to bowl, press sheet of greased parchment directly on surface, and store at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)

Scoop 1 level tablespoon of dough. Using second small spoon, scrape dough onto prepared sheet into 1½-inch-wide, 1-inch-tall mound. Repeat, spacing mounds 1 to 1¼ inches apart. (You should have 24 mounds.) Using back of spoon lightly coated with vegetable oil spray, smooth away any creases and large peaks on each mound.

Bake until gougères are puffed and upper two-thirds of each are light golden brown (bottom third will still be pale), 14 to 20 minutes. Turn off oven; leave gougères in oven until uniformly golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes (do not open oven for at least 8 minutes). Transfer gougères to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm.