Blue Cheese and Black Pepper Gougeres

They’re traditionally made with Gruyère, but I like them even more with blue cheese and a hit of black pepper to accentuate the sharpness.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large, heavy saucepan, bring the butter, water, and wine to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the flour, pepper, and salt, and stir to blend smoothly. Reheat pan over medium heat, and stir the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a ball, about 1 minute. A thin film should appear on the bottom and sides of the pan.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer, then cool slightly. Add the crumbled cheese, then beat at a low speed to combine. Add the first egg, beating until fully incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs.
To create your cheese puffs, you can use either a a tiny cookie scoop, a pastry bag with a ½-inch tip, or a plastic bag with a ½-inch opening cut across one corner. Create 1-inch rounds on prepared sheets, about 2 inches apart. If you’ve piped the mounds, dampen your finger with water and use your finger to tamp the points of dough down gently on top before baking the puffs. Sprinkle each gougère with a grind of black pepper and a tiny pinch of sea salt.
Bake the gougères in preheated oven until puffed, golden, and crisp-dry at the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve them warm or at room temperature.