Soufflés have what you would call an awful reputation—that’s strange because, in absolute truth, the effort-to-impact ratio is strongly skewed in the prepared dinner’s favor. Once you recognize the technological know-how behind the magic, they’re one of the most flexible dishes you may have in your repertoire: quick to make, a treat to devour, and guaranteed to affect.
- Prep 30 min
- Cook 12 min
- Serves 6
- 40g butter, plus more excellent for greasing
- 20g fine white breadcrumbs
- 40g undeniable flour
- 300ml whole milk
- Four large eggs
- ½ tsp English mustard powder
- 100g gruyère, finely grated
- 50g parmesan, finely grated
- Salt and pepper
- 1 Prepare the molds
Put a spoonful of breadcrumbs in one ramekin and turn to coat the inner all the way up to the sides, preserving it over a second ramekin to capture any extra. Then repeat and refrigerate.
Start the white sauce.
The soufflé base here is a simple white sauce, so soften the butter in a medium saucepan over mild warmth, then stir in the flour. Keep cooking and stirring for a couple of minutes until the aggregate begins to smell toasty; however, don’t allow it to take on any coloration. Gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth paste.
Finish the sauce, then cool.
Heat lightly, often stirring, till the sauce comes to a boil, then flip down the heat and simmer until it has thickened to a béchamel-like consistency but remains pourable. Tip into a large bowl and set aside to chill slightly; it wishes to be warm enough to melt cheese; however, it cooks the egg yolks now, which is not so friendly.
Prepare a bain-marie
Half-fill a roasting tin with boiling water and place it inside the oven—this bain-marie will insulate the soufflé mixture from the acute warmth of the stove and preserve the texture tender and custardy rather than harsh and chewy. Separate the eggs and place the whites in a fresh bowl large enough to accommodate a few energetic whisks.
Add cheese, egg yolks, and mustard.
Stir the mustard powder, three-quarters of the grated gruyère, and all the parmesan into the warm white sauce. Season and blend until the cheese has melted into a reasonably smooth sauce, then add the egg yolks one at a time. Finally, add the rest of the gruyère, blending to distribute it lightly—don’t worry about it melting this time.
