These delicious cheese puffs make a great savoury alternative to your afternoon tea cake or a cheesy choux pastry treat that the whole family can enjoy
Ingredients
- For the choux pastry:
- 60g (2oz) butter
- 75g (2½oz) plain flour, sifted
- 2 medium eggs, beaten
- 30g (1oz) grated Cheddar or Parmesan
- Good pinch of cayenne pepper/smoked paprika
- For the filling:
- 400g (14oz) cream cheese
- About 3tbsp finely snipped chives
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 baking sheets, lined with bakewell paper
Method
Put the butter and 150ml (¼ pint) water in a small pan, heat until the butter melts
Bring the mixture to the boil, quickly add the flour and beat well, off the heat, to a smooth dough.
Cool for 5 minutes, add half the beaten egg, beating well, then gradually beat in more egg to get a shiny pastry
Add all but about 2 teaspoons of the cheese, and a pinch of cayenne or paprika.
Set the oven to gas mark 7 or 220°C. Spoon 16tbsp of choux pastry (or use a 1cm/½in piping nozzle) on to baking sheets
Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and more cayenne/paprika.
Bake for 25 mins, then turn the puffs over on the baking sheet and bake for another 5 mins until crisp.
Cool on a wire rack.
Soften the cream cheese and mix in the chives. Season well.
Pipe or spoon the filling mixture into the split buns.
Serve on the day of making.
