Again, she attempts to bake.

Gougeres. Um, what?

Translation: Cheese puffs. You fill em, you know? They can be savory or sweet (cream puffs from Costco anyone?).

These were for appetizers. Now, I can not state emphatically enough how much I hate to bake. However, I do love to eat, so sometimes you gotta do..what you gotta do.

Gougeres are a egg dough of sorts. I don't think that you can make these without a food processor but what do I know about baking? You start by cooking on the stove top - butter, milk, salt and flour. Once it comes to temp you transfer that into a food processor and while it's running add an egg mixture. I just realized that there is no leavening agent in these so it is strictly the cooking process and extra egg whites in the recipe that makes them puff up. Once that is done you add cheese and either pipe them onto a parchment lined baking sheet or drop them out by teaspoonful. Can you take a guess which one I did?

You bake them and when they are done and golden brown (not very golden brown as mine were) you cool them and fill with whatever you want. I made a chicken/artichoke filling of sorts and they were too big to be bite sized so they ended up more like finger sandwiches. They were good, not great.

And no, your computer is not having technical difficulties...you don't/won't see a picture of the finished product. For obvious reasons.

Would I make them again? Yes. And if they turn out, you may even see a picture.

Ingredients:
2 large eggs , plus 1 large egg white
6 tablespoons water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 10 pieces
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 1/2 ounces), sifted (or just lightly scooped into your measuring cup as I don't own a sifter)
3 ounces Gruyère, Emmentaler, or Swiss cheese , shredded (about 1 cup) - I used sharp cheddar that I had on hand.
Pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. Beat eggs and egg white in measuring cup or small bowl; you should have 1/2 cup (discard excess). Set aside.

2. Bring water, butter, milk, and salt to boil in small saucepan over medium heat, stirring once or twice. When mixture reaches full boil (butter should be fully melted), immediately remove saucepan from heat and stir in flour with heatproof spatula or wooden spoon until combined and mixture clears sides of pan. Return saucepan to low heat and cook, stirring constantly, using a smearing motion, until mixture is slightly shiny, looks like wet sand, and tiny beads of fat appear on bottom of saucepan, about 3 minutes (paste should register 175 to 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer).

3. Immediately transfer mixture to food processor and process with feed tube open for 10 seconds to cool slightly. With machine running, gradually add eggs in a steady stream. When all eggs have been added, scrape down sides of bowl and add
Gruyère and cayenne to food processor. Process for 30 seconds until a smooth, thick, sticky paste forms. (If not using immediately, transfer paste to medium bowl, press sheet of plastic wrap that has been sprayed lightly with nonstick cooking spray directly on surface, and store at room temperature for up to 2 hours.)

4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper; set sheet aside.

5. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto lined baking sheet into evenly spaced 1-2 inch mounds. Use back of teaspoon dipped in bowl of cold water to even out shape and smooth surface of mounds.

6. Bake 15 minutes (do not open oven door), then reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and continue to bake until golden brown and fairly firm, 12 to 14 minutes longer. Remove baking sheet from oven. With paring knife, cut 3/4-inch slit into side of each puff to release steam; return to oven, turn off oven, and prop oven door open with handle of wooden spoon. After 10 minutes, transfer puffs to wire rack. Serve warm. (Gougères can be cooled completely and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours or frozen in zipper- lock plastic bag for up to 1 month. Before serving, crisp room-temperature gougères in 300-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes; crisp frozen gougères for 8 to 10 minutes.)

Artichoke/Chicken Mixture

1/4 to 1/2 Finely diced cooked chicken. I used rotisserie.
1/2 tsp finely chopped green onion
3 marinated artichoke hearts finely chopped.
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 tsp mayo
salt and pepper to taste.

Mix and microwave just until heated through. Mixture goes into finished cheese puffs.