Servings: Makes 40

120g self raising flour, sifted (1 cup), plus extra 120g self raising flour, sifted (1 cup), plus extra
One pinch nutmeg One pinch nutmeg
250ml cold water (1 cup) 250ml cold water (1 cup)
75g butter, diced into 6 pieces 75g butter, diced into 6 pieces
4 very fresh eggs plus extra, in case you get a bad egg 4 very fresh eggs plus extra, in case you get a bad egg
75g gruyere, finely grated, plus extra 75g gruyere, finely grated, plus extra

Preheat the oven to 200C/190C fan.
Sift the flour into a bowl, then stir the nutmeg through.
In a small saucepan, add the water and butter, then place over a medium heat. As soon as the water starts to bubble, stir the mixture until the butter melts.
Add the nutmeg-flour all at once to the pan. Working quickly, stir the mixture well, and remove it from the heat after 10 seconds. Continue to stir the mixture until it starts to come away from the sides and forms a ball. This should take about 30 second. Leave the dough to cool for 20 minutes.
Working with one egg at a time, crack each into a small bowl to test its freshness. (I recommend this because, over decades of making wedding croquembouches, many a batch of choux pastry has been binned by the inadvertent addition of a bad egg. You’ll know an egg is off by the smell, which will hit you like a freight train.)
Stir the egg into the dough until it has been properly absorbed (you’ll know this has happened when the dough has lost some of its eggy gloss). Repeat with the remaining eggs, one at a time. Once all the eggs are in, add the gruyere and stir to combine.
Pipe or spoon walnut-sized blobs on to a lined baking sheet. (The mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape. If it’s a bit sloppy you can add a little more grated gruyere or self-raising flour.)
Bake for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then serve immediately.

You can make the mixture hours before the guests arrive, cover the surface with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature till showtime. Don’t bake them until all the guests have arrived. They must be hot, freshly puffed golden mouthfuls of cheesy sunshine. Use up all the mixture then settle back with a glass of something and bask in their reflected glory.  You can make the mixture hours before the guests arrive, cover the surface with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature till showtime. Don’t bake them until all the guests have arrived. They must be hot, freshly puffed golden mouthfuls of cheesy sunshine. Use up all the mixture then settle back with a glass of something and bask in their reflected glory.