Marmite gougères

Essentially a low-brow British take on a sophisticated French classic, this really works. Marmite – a thick, black, sticky yeast extract – is one of my all-time favourite comfort foods, and a British cult product you either love or loathe. As kids, we would have it spread sparingly onto hot buttered toast every morning – its tar-like, umami slick melding with the melted butter and oozing into the white crumb. If we felt ill, or blue, or just plain hungry, we’d reach for the Marmite, and it always hit the spot. One day my sister Alice, herself a bit of a maverick in the kitchen, came up with the genius idea of putting it on her cheese on toast: life was never the same again. I’ve translated that combination to these indulgent choux pastry puffs. If you can’t find Marmite (though I have tracked it down in Canada and the US), try Vegemite, or omit it altogether – you’ll still get gorgeous gougères.

INGREDIENTS

120g unsalted butter

150ml whole milk

1 1/2 tablespoons marmite

150g plain flour, sifted

4 eggs

100g cheddar, grated, plus 1 tablespoon extra, for scattering

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

big pinch freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

piping bag

1 cm round nozzle

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment.

Heat the butter, milk and Marmite with 75 ml water in a medium saucepan until the butter is completely melted, the Marmite has dissolved and the mixture has just reached boiling point. Tip in the flour and beat very quickly with a wooden spoon, over the heat, until you have a smooth mixture the consistency of mashed potato, which comes away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and allow to cool for 1 minute. Now add 1 egg, beating it into the mixture until completely incorporated – initially it will separate the mixture and go sloppy, but keep beating and it will mix in. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 eggs, one after the other, until the dough is thick, smooth and shiny. Stir in the grated cheese, peppers and nutmeg.

Spoon the mixture into the piping bag fitted with a nozzle. Pipe little round mounds (about the size of a chestnut) onto the trays, leaving space between each mound to allow for rising. If you don’t have a piping bag, just spoon teaspoons of the mixture onto the tray. Scatter over the remaining Cheddar. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve warm, or cool on a wire rack and reheat in a 180°C oven for a few minutes until they crisp up. These gougères can be made in advance and frozen once cool, ready to be crisped up in a hot oven at your convenience.

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