Parmesan and Gruyère Cheese Soufflé

By á-30

Ingredients

• 8 individual soufflé dishes, 2 1/2-by-1 1/2 inches high; or 1 large dish, 6-by-2 1/2 inches high
• For the molds
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
• For the white sauce
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 4 cage-free, organic eggs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the molds
1. First, prepare the soufflé dishes: Brush evenly with melted butter, and if you like, sprinkle with a little freshly grated Parmesan.

Make the white sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and warm a baking sheet. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook over a gentle heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Take off the heat and whisk in the milk, return to the heat, whisk as it comes to a boil, cover, and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

2. Separate the eggs and put the whites into a large copper, glass, or stainless steel bowl, making sure it is spotlessly clean and dry. Whisk the yolks one by one into the white sauce, add both cheeses, and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. It should taste hugely seasoned at this point because the egg whites will dull the seasoning later. Stir over a gentle heat for just a few seconds until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat.

3. Using clean beaters, beat the egg whites with a little pinch of salt, slowly at first and then faster, until they are light and voluminous and hold a stiff peak when you lift up the beaters. Stir a few tablespoons of the whipped whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it and then carefully fold in the rest of the whites with a spatula.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dishes (if you fill them three-quarters full, you will get about 10, but if you fill the dishes to the top, you will have about 8). The individual soufflés can covered in plastic wrap and frozen at this point.

5. Bake in the oven for 8 to 9 minutes for the individual soufflés or 20 to 25 minutes for the large one. For the large soufflé, you will need to reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) after 15 minutes, and putting it in a water bath (baking tray of hot water) to bake is a good idea. Serve immediately.

Top tip: If you fill the soufflé dishes to the top, smooth them off with a palette knife or spatula, then run a washed thumb around the edge of the dishes before they go into the oven to help to get the “top hat” effect when the soufflé is well risen. Individually frozen soufflés can be baked from frozen state, but they will take a few minutes longer to cook.