Double Cheese Soufflé Recipe

Double Cheese Soufflé Recipe

Reading Time: 4 minutes

by Rita Heikenfeld THERE’S A RESURGENCE of interest in retro recipes, and I, for one, am so happy that among the most popular are classics like cheese soufflés. Light and airy with the “wow” factor baked right in, a cheese soufflé can rise to any occasion.

Now, you might think cheese soufflés are hard to make. The name alone intimidates some folks. Originating in France sometime in the first half of the 18th century, soufflé comes from the French verb souffler which simply means “to puff,” an accurate description! A properly made soufflé puffs up to impressive heights during baking.

In case you’ve never made a cheese soufflé or want to brush up on your skills, the recipe I’m sharing is detailed, but not difficult.


Pair the cheese soufflé with salad greens dressed with a fruity vinaigrette. Toasted French bread cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch pieces and smeared with a bit of butter completes this elegant, yet easy meal.

double-cheese-soufflé-recipe


Double Cheese Soufflé Recipe


3 to 4 servings.


INGREDIENTS

  • 5 large eggs, room temperature, separated: 4 yolks and 5 whites (save extra yolk for other use)
  • 3 tablespoons butter, regular or unsalted
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • Several grindings of fresh nutmeg (optional but good)
  • 4 ounce finely shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar



INSTRUCTIONS


Preheat oven to 400 F.

  1. Butter a 2-1/2 quart soufflé dish and set aside. A soufflé dish is straight-sided to allow the mixture to climb up as it bakes. If your dish is a little smaller, or larger, that’s okay.
  2. Whisk egg yolks lightly. Set aside.
  3. Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan and whisk in flour. Cook until the mixture gets a bit foamy, but don’t let it brown. This is called a roux.
  4. Turn heat to medium and gradually whisk in milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook until mixture comes to a gentle boil, then lower to a simmer and cook a couple of minutes for it to thicken, whisking constantly.
  5. Remove from heat and stir a couple of tablespoons of the roux into the lightly beaten yolks. This will temper the yolks (warm them up) so they won’t curdle.
  6. Whisk this egg mixture back into the sauce. Stir in cheeses and mustard and
  7. whisk until some of the cheese melts.
  8. Set aside while beating whites.
  9. Beat whites on low speed just until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Raise speed to high and continue to beat until moist, stiff peaks form. Keep an eye on the whites as they fill the bowl. Toward the end, raise the beater up and check to see if the whites hold a peak. If so, you’ve beaten enough air into them to raise the soufflé as it bakes.
  10. Fold 1/3 of the whipped whites into the sauce mixture. That lightens up the
  11. mixture, allowing it to “accept” the rest of the beaten whites.
  12. Add rest of whites and gently fold into the sauce. A few streaks of whites showing are okay; don’t overwork the mixture or the whites will collapse and your soufflé won’t rise to wonderful heights.
  13. Pour mixture into buttered soufflé dish. Place on lowest rack of oven and reduce heat immediately to 375 degrees F. Bake about 25 to 30 minutes, until top is puffed, golden, and 1 to 3 inches above rim. The center is traditionally soft and creamy. Slide a knife in gently, the top should remain
  14. solid and crusty while the center is soft and sticks to the knife. If you prefer a more cake-like soufflé, bake for a few more minutes, until a knife comes out of the center clean.
  15. Serve immediately by placing a large spoonful onto a small plate. (And you have to serve it after it comes out of the oven while it’s still regal-looking —
  16. once you plunge the spoons into it, the puff goes away.)

Properly beaten egg whites will hold a raw egg up without sinking.

Tips

  • Properly beaten egg whites will be able to hold up a whole egg placed gently on top.
  • Cream of tartar: what is it and why add it to egg whites? Cream of tartar is a by-product of wine and grape juice processing. It’s an acidic salt that acts as a stabilizer in whipped egg whites, allowing whites to maintain volume without collapsing.
  • In any cheese soufflé recipe, always use at least 1 more egg white than egg yolk.
  • Sub in your favorite cheeses.
  • Properly beaten egg whites will hold a raw egg up without sinking.

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RITA HEIKENFELD comes from a family of wise women in tune with nature. She is a certified modern herbalist, culinary educator, author, and national media personality. Most important, she is a wife, mom, and grandma. Rita lives on a little patch of heaven overlooking the East Fork River in Clermont County, Ohio. She is a former adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati, where she developed a comprehensive herbal course.

abouteating.com column: rita@communitypress.com

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