CHEESE SOUFFLE | Annie Mehra Cannon

Cheese Soufflé

Making a cheese soufflé doesn't require you to be a Michel Troisgros or a Julia Child! You don't even need to speak French. The truth is I've never understood the shroud of mystique that envelops this beautiful, but not difficult, dish. All you need is a straight-sided ovenproof dish or a set of ramekins; a fairly accurate oven; a stand or hand-held mixer; some fresh farmhouse eggs; some quality Gruyere and Parmesan (the former not available in Sarawak where we live but kindly donated by a friend with a great cheese contact overseas); a few other staples found in most home kitchens; 4 - 6 people (including you) who appreciate fine food; and some Buddhist-like patience.

Et voila! (There you are!) C'est tout. (That's all.) Bon appétit! (Bon appetit!) 🤪

INGREDIENTS

3 level tbsp unsalted butter

3 level tbsp plain flour

236 ml (1/2 pint) milk

5 egg yolks

85g (3 oz) dry grated Gruyere cheese

56g (2 oz) plus 1 extra tbsp dry grated Parmesan

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dash of nutmeg, freshly grated

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch dry mustard

6 egg whites

SOUFFLE DISH

Butter

Some stale breadcrumbs mixed with some dry grated Parmesan

METHOD

Grease a 1.2 litre or 2.5 pint souffle dish (or the equivalent volume of individual little ramekins if you prefer) with butter paying close attention to top rim. Put a handful of the breadcrumb and Parmesan mixture into the dish and tilt so that the mixture sticks to the butter coating all the sides well. Stand dish in a deep baking tray and set aside

Preheat the oven to 200C (400F).

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. With a wooden spoon, blend in the flour and stir over a low heat for a few minutes to make a pale roux.

Heat milk in a separate pan and gradually add to roux, stirring all the time to prevent lumps. Bring to the boil and simmer over a moderate heat for another couple of minutes until sauce has thickened and is smooth. Remove pan from heat. Let cool a little.Add egg yolks one by one, beating after each addition.

Empty contents into a large bowl.

Add the grated Gruyere and 56g (2oz) of Parmesan to the sauce and stir in well. Season with a little salt (you don't need much), pepper, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and dry mustard.

Let cool a little while you whisk the egg whites.

Place your egg whites and a generous pinch of fine sea salt into the bowl of your mixer and using the whisk attachment (or hand-held mixer), beat for a few minutes until stiff and dry.

Add a dollop of the egg white to your cheese sauce and blend in.

Then tip the rest of your stiff egg whites in to the bowl and gently, with a large metal spoon or spatula, quickly fold in the egg whites. The mix should be well integrated but you should still be able to see ribbons of stiff egg white through the thick cheese mix.

Pour this mixture into your prepared souffle dish, still siting in the deep baking tray.

Boil some water.

Place the whole tray into your preheated oven; pour the boiling water into the tray to come 1/3 way up the sides of the souffle dish.

Close oven door and immediately reduce heat to 160C (325F).

Bake for approximately 40 minutes until it's puffed up and golden.

Sprinkle the extra 1 tbsp dry Parmesan over the top and turn oven back up to 200C (400F)

Bake for another 10 minutes and its a deep gold on top and fairly fairly firm.

Serve immediately with the lovely salad you made while the souffle was in the oven.

HINT: Grate the Gruyere and Parmesan a few hours before and let the cheeses dry out on a baking sheet for the best results.