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A gougère is a choux pastry puff often served as an amuse-bouche. It’s a speciality of Burgundy, where Anne-Sophie is from. The recipe makes 10–12 small gougères or one large one to serve 6 people.

Basic dough:

80g butter, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing pinch of salt

1 cup (120g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

4 eggs

½ cup (60g) grated Emmental cheese (or other hard cheese)

ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Heat ¾ cup (200ml) water in a saucepan with the butter and salt. Once it has come to the boil, remove from the heat and add the flour all at once. Beat well with a wooden spoon until the flour is completely incorporated. Return the saucepan to a moderate heat and cook, stirring, until the dough is smooth, thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Stir in the grated cheese (or your chosen flavouring from the list of variations, below) and two pinches of pepper.

2. Grease a baking sheet and lightly dust with flour. Using a tablespoon, place individual spoonfuls of the dough on the baking sheet, or spread into a large single round. Bake for 30 mins for the small pastries or 40 mins for a large one, until well risen, crisp and golden. Serve hot as an amuse-bouche or as a main dish with a green salad.

Jessica’s Variations of Gougères

 Ham: Add 1 cup (120g) cooked or smoked ham, cut into tiny cubes and, if desired, 2 sautéed finely chopped spring onions, at the same time as the cheese.

 Blue cheese (any kind): Omit the grated cheese and instead add ½ cup (100g) crumbled blue cheese mixed with 2 tbsp cream.

 Goat’s cheese and aubergine: Omit the grated cheese. Instead sauté one small finely chopped aubergine and 1 small finely chopped onion in olive oil until softened. Add to the dough with ½ cup (120g) crumbled fresh goat’s cheese.

 Clams: Omit the grated cheese. Instead add 1 tin (184g) of clams, drained and chopped and mixed with 2 tbsp cream and a handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley.

 Tapenade and sundried tomatoes: Omit the grated cheese. Instead add ½ cup (100g) tapenade, ½ cup (100g) chopped sundried tomatoes and 1 tsp dried herbes de Provence or dried oregano.