Gougères

Step 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Step 2: Put ½ cup water, ½ cup whole milk, 3 ½ oz unsalted butter, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper and 1 pinch ground nutmeg in a medium pan over a medium heat. Wait until the butter has melted completely and the liquid comes to a rolling boil.

Step 3: Take the pan off the heat, tip in all of 5 ½ oz plain flour at once and beat hard with a wooden spoon until it forms a smooth ball.

Step 4: Put the pan back on a low heat and keep turning the dough for 2 minutes, until it comes away from the sides and leaves a thin film on the base.

Step 5: Tip the dough into a bowl and leave it for 3 minutes to cool slightly, so the eggs don't scramble.

Step 6: Beat in 4 eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop when the dough is glossy and falls from the spoon in a thick V-shaped ribbon; you may not need the last spoonful. Common mistake: adding all the egg at once, which leaves a runny dough that spreads instead of puffing.

Step 7: Stir in 3 ⅔ oz Comté or Gruyère until evenly mixed.

Step 8: Pipe or spoon walnut-sized mounds onto the trays, 4 cm apart. Smooth any peaks with a wet fingertip and scatter over ⅞ oz Comté or Gruyère.

Step 9: Bake for 22–25 minutes without opening the oven door, until deep golden, puffed and light when you lift one. Pale gougères will sink as they cool.

Step 10: Pierce the side of each puff with a skewer to let the steam out and serve warm. Unbaked mounds freeze well on the tray; bake from frozen for 5 minutes longer.