Blue cheese gougères

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan/gas 7 and line 1 large or 2 medium baking sheets with baking paper. In a small bowl, weigh out the flour and mustard powder. Put 160ml water, the 55g butter and a pinch of salt in a pan over a medium heat and cook until the butter has melted and the mixture comes to a simmer.
2. As soon as the butter mixture simmers, add the prepared flour mixture, turn the heat down to low and beat quickly with a wooden spoon to make a smooth dough. Keep stirring for a few minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pan. Scrape the dough into a bowl and set aside to cool for 1 minute. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs in a jug.
3. Beat most of the eggs into the dough gradually, a little at a time, until the mixture reaches dropping consistency (it should fall off the spoon within a few seconds) – you won’t need all the egg, so keep checking (reserve any leftover egg for later). Crumble in three quarters of the 110g cheese and beat well. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe tablespoon-size mounds on the lined tray(s), leaving space between each as they’ll puff up. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also use 2 tablespoons to shape dollops of the dough onto the tray. Brush the gougères gently with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the reserved cheese.
4. Put the gougères in the oven, then immediately reduce the temperature to 190°C fan/gas 6½ and bake for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden.
5. While the gougères bake, make the sauce. Heat the butter in a medium pan and, once melted and bubbling, add the flour. Cook for a few minutes, stirring until the flour is light golden. Gradually add the milk (while stirring) to make a paste which will eventually turn into a glossy sauce. Continue to cook for a few minutes until simmering, then add the 40g Saint Agur and remove from the heat. Season.
6. You can now either transfer the sauce to another piping bag, pierce a small hole in the base of each gougère and pipe it inside or serve the sauce on the side for dipping. Either way, the gougères are best served warm.