2013 Cooking Club Week 2: Soufflé au fromage/Cheese soufflé

Galwaymother

SOUFFLÉ AU FROMAGE/ CHEESE SOUFFLE

This classical French dish is very simple and yet never fails to impress. There is always a sense of drama when it comes out of the oven, and the beauty and transience of life is well illustrated by its swift ‘Fall’...
One of my daughters once said it was like eating tasty fluffy clouds. And we all fight over the crunchy bits stuck to the bottom of the dish.
I am sure many of you already do it, yet I have never met somebody else but me who cooks it!
Children also love it, and it’s quite cheap, handy and nutritive really…

Preparation: 20 minutes

Baking: 40 minutes

Ingredients (for 4):


- 6 large free-range eggs
- 150 g tasty hard cheese (Dubliner/ Cheddar, Comté, Parmesan, or a mix. Goat cheese and Blue cheese are also lovely but not to everybody’s taste)
- 40 g of butter (salted is fine)
- 40 g of plain flour.
- 40 cl of milk (i.e about a pint)
- 1 or 2 teaspoons of nutmeg
- 1 or 2 teaspoons of smooth Dijon mustard.
- Freshly ground pepper/ salt

Ustensils:
1 large soufflé dish / 4 big ramequins/ 4 mugs if nothing else!
1 medium saucepan
1 big mixing bowl
1 hand whisk
1 electric beater
1 spatula
1 teaspoon

Preparation:
- Preheat oven at 180°C (thermostat 6). Butter soufflé dish.
- Melt butter in saucepan, add flour while whisking rapidly for a minute or two, until the flour starts getting golden-brown.

Making the roux.

- Add milk (usually it’s supposed to be lukewarm but I add it cold!) slowly while whisking to avoid lumps. Keep whisking regularly on a medium heat until the white sauce is thick custard-thick, or even a little more. It takes between 10 and 20 mns.

Thickening the white sauce.

- Take pan out of heat, let cool a little.
- Separate eggs, add 5 yolks one by one into pan while whisking, and then cheese, nutmeg, pepper, a little salt, mustard.
I taste to check if it’s seasoned/cheesy enough. It needs to be very savoury for the soufflé to be tasty.
- Beat whites of eggs until very stiff.

Beaten egg whites.

- Fold into sauce delicately and carefully, so as to not break the beaten eggs and loose the air. I use a plastic spatula, and usually add first one quarter of eggs, fold, then add the rest, and fold.

Folding the first quarter.

- Pour into soufflé dish, it should not go higher than 3 cm from the top.

. Pouring into dish.

- Bake in middle of oven for 40 minutes. Use fan function if you have it.

The soufflé is cooked when it’s well risen, with a golden-brown top hat, and does not wobble when shaken slightly or touched with finger on top. If you find it is not cooked at the bottom, put in back into the oven for a short while, it mightn’t look as nice, but will be as tasty.

All puffed up and glorious!

While the soufflé is baking, you could roast baby potatoes in the oven at the same time and serve with a simple green salad. Just remember not to open the oven often and close it softly!
Or serve with ratatouille, stuffed baked tomatoes, good crusty bread, steamed baby potatoes…

Served with the simplest accompaniment.

The soufflé can be altered of course to include sauté mushrooms, chopped ham or cooked salmon, or herbs, or whatever you’re into…

NOTE: You should be seated waiting for the soufflé to come out of the oven, rather than the soufflé waiting for you. “Le soufflé n’attend pas”…

The best bits at the bottom!

Dizzyblonde

It looks delicious Galwaymother, and I've always wanted to try making a cheese soufflé

hattoncracker

Oh I've never had this! Definitely gonna try this!

Galwaymother

Dizzyblonde and hattoncracker, as a well-known brand says, just do it! It's dead easy, and so light and tasty!

I forgot to say you can use a high casserole dish (type Creuset) without the lid if you don't have a Soufflé dish. I've even done it in a big saucepan (taking off the handle), when I was stuck...

Mrs Fox

I don't think I've ever had cheese souffle before. I've always wanted to try it. Thanks Galwymother, will certainly give this one a go.

John Mason

Thanks OP, Saturdays dinner sorted again

Lovely Bloke

irishbird wrote: »

Thanks OP, Saturdays dinner sorted again

I can't wait!

homemadecider

Looks great, I think I'm going to make this on Saturday, thanks for sharing.

For anyone still counting cals this Jan, I've just run this by MFP and it's 378 cals per serving (the recipe serves 4).

BanzaiBk

I made this last night for my oh and myself. It was absolutely delicious. We served it with a carrot chutney herself bought in the farmers market and mixed salad. I forgot to take pics but I'm going to make it again tomorrow as my parents are coming over, will definitely snap a few before serving up.

oscarBravo

I really, really want to make this, but I'm home alone until at least March and I don't think leftovers would freeze very well...!

Galwaymother

Oscar Bravo, just halve or take just a third (i.e two eggs etc) and do it in two ramequins (or cups). You will eat them, don't worry!
Or invite friends! Showing off your soufflé is the perfect pretext...

oscarBravo

Hmm, I do have a bunch of wee ramekins as well as my big ol' soufflé dish... watch this space!

Galwaymother

Homemadecider, thanks for working out calories!
Actually, the recipe as it is here served 5 the last time I made it. As you can see from one of the pictures, I had enough to fill two medium ramequins as well as the soufflé dish.
So it's really less calories, of course depending on your appetite!
Yeah, I know, any excuse!

John Mason

have this in the oven now :)

John Mason

This was lovely, OP. Will definitely cook again. Himself is currently licking the bowls and shouting "why didnt you make it a big one" :rolleyes:

oh, I used 4 cheese, cheddar, smoked, blue cheese, Parmesan

oscarBravo

So I made this last night for a few friends (two of whom are vegetarians and one doesn't eat vegetables!) - it came out absolutely perfect. It rose beautifully, was light as a feather, had a lovely cheesy flavour. I wouldn't have believed a soufflé could be so straightforward. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture, but I'm sure I'll be making it again.

I served it with sautéed potatoes, and braised gem lettuce with peas in a creamy sauce.

Mrs Fox

oscarBravo wrote: »

So I made this last night for a few friends (two of whom are vegetarians and one doesn't eat vegetables!) -

A vegetarian who doesn't eat vegetables. Hmmmmm

oscarBravo

Mrs Fox wrote: »

A vegetarian who doesn't eat vegetables. Hmmmmm

Yeah, that wasn't clear: two of my guests are vegetarians, and the third doesn't eat veg.

He was happy, though - he ate the soufflé and the sautéed potatoes, and decided that he couldn't complain about being served egg and chips. :pac:

Mrs Fox

Quick Q -- what can I serve this with for meat lovers?
I'm happy enough to eat this on its own but dear Mr Fox is quite carnivorous, and a meal without meat is incomplete to him.

Galwaymother

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Quick Q -- what can I serve this with for meat lovers?
I'm happy enough to eat this on its own but dear Mr Fox is quite carnivorous, and a meal without meat is incomplete to him.

Hi!
I would either serve it as a fancy starter, use finely chopped good ham (150/200g), within it, or serve it with baked stuffed beef tomatoes or peppers ( pork meat, onion, garlic, herbs, some breadcrumbs etc).
I think a big piece of meat would take away from it, really.
Good luck!

oscarBravo

Made this again last night, this time with the addition of bacon bits and in individual ramekins.



Delicious again, especially with a combination of Stilton, extra mature Cheddar and Parmesan.

Galwaymother

Oh me oh my, OscarBravo, they look amazing! I do think it's better with very tasty cheese. Just gave me a craving!

Caroleia

thanks for this I've been dying to try it - there's one in the oven now, can't wait!

Galwaymother

Caroleia, how did it go? I hope you enjoyed it!

Caroleia

hi Galwaymother - sorry only getting back now. The nice weather means less of the internet, that can only be a good thing The souffle was divine. It will def be getting added to the repertoire. We had it with a green salad and garlic bread, There was quite a bit left over as there's only 3 of us and my son wasn't that mad about it, however we reheated the next day for lunch and had it with some rashers and it was just as nice. Thanks again for the recipe, I've always wanted to make one [and next time I'll take a photo!]

Mrs Fox

Finally got around to make this for lunch today, but I halved the recipe. I used strong mature cheddar, gruyere and parmesan. I did use more cheese and Dijon for a stronger taste.
This was very delicious. I sauteed some chestnut mushrooms with shallots, served with a side salad and Ballymaloe relish. Even the two little ones loved them. "Fluffy cheese clouds" as they call them. Thanks OP.