Melt the butter in the water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Immediately add the flour, and mix well while keeping it on the heat. Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the pot.

I was an exchange student in Belgium the first time I saw a tall, sizzling cheese soufflé being pulled from a home oven. It was airy and custardy on the inside, with a crisp cap that shattered under a ...