Gougeres are not easy to make either!
Ooh the recipe I have (from a 15 or so year old ad for Sauveur) is actually super easy! I doubled it:
1 cup water
5 TB butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup shredded gruyere
5 eggs
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.
Bring water, butter, nutmeg, and pepper to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Lower heat. Add flour all at once and stir until dough pulls away from sides of the pan (about one minute). Take pan off heat.
Add cheese and stir dough until blended in. Add 4 of the eggs, one at a time, stirring each into the dough until it is incorporated into mixture. Keep stirring until dough is shiny and firm. (Note: I'm never sure how long this is. but the recipe turns out every time so I don't worry! It's not super long anyway. I don't have that much patience.)
Drop dough on to the cookie sheets by the spoonful. Crack last egg into bowl and whisk in 1/2 TB water. Brush egg wash on each gougere.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden and have puffed up to about twice their size. Eat hot from the oven or store in fridge for a couple of days.
The End! They are delicious! And you can change up the cheeses and spices. And maybe put a little piece of ham in each!