• Start by pre-heating your oven to 450F and dicing up the bacon. Cook the bacon on medium heat in a saute pan. When the bacon is done, drain the fat and set the bacon aside. Place the water, milk, salt, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon over low heat. Keep stirring until the dough is soft, but not sticky. A good sign of when to stop is when a skin forms on the bottom of the saucepan.
• Place the dough mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and, with the paddle attachment, start the dough on medium speed. Mix for 2 minutes allowing the dough to cool just slightly. Start adding the eggs one at a time. Be sure to allow each egg to be fully incorporated before adding the next. After adding the fifth egg, stop the mixer and check the consistency. To check, run your spatula down the middle of the dough, creating a crevice. The sides should start to fall in on each other. If they do not, you may add another egg and then test again.
• Once the desired consistency is reached, add the Gruyere cheese, Bacon, and Black Pepper. Fill a pastry bag with the finished dough. On a parchment lined sheet pan, pipe the gougères to about the size of a golf ball. You should be holding the pastry bag perpendicular to the sheet tray, not at an angle.
• Place the gougeres in the oven and turn the temperature down to 400F. Cook for 10-15 minutes until puffed and a dark golden brown. If you do not bake them enough they will collapse. Gougeres are just great out of the oven on their own or you may create filling and pipe it into the gougeres.
• For profiteroles or eclairs just omit the cheese, bacon, and pepper from the recipe, and pipe to the desired shape. Baking times will vary depending on size.
