3 Cheeses Soufflé

There is a lot of kitchen “myths” going around soufflés, mostly concerning the way to butter and flour the ramequins and the whipped egg whites. In my experience, it is better to use soften butter rather than melted butter to brush the ramequins. Try as well to brush with a vertical stroke, as it seems to help the soufflé to rise higher. Egg whites have to be whipped to hard peak (you can lay a raw egg in its shell on top and it won’t sink).

Then you add a third of them into the bechamel, with a wisk, till well combined and smooth. The other two thirds should be folded in more gently with a large spoon or spatula. If you fold very gently but it is still a bit lumpy, you will end up with a soufflé that rises higher, but will most likely have a cracked and uneven top. If you fold “less gently”, your soufflé won’t rise as much, but will end up with an even and flat top…Experiment both ways, and see which result suits you better!

Ingredients (4 serves)

• 40g butter
• 225ml milk
• ½ bay leaf
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg
• 1 small French shallot, sliced
• 40g flour
• 1 thyme spring
• 1 garlic clove
• 40g grated Parmesan
• 50g grated Gruyère
• 100g goat’s cheese
• 4 × 60g eggs, separated
• 1 small bunch of chives
• 150ml cream (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, brush the four ramequins with soften butter, than dust flour. Set aside in fridge.
2. In saucepan, bring to the boil the milk, bay leaf, nutmeg, garlic clove, thyme spring and French shallot gently, simmer for a couple of minutes. Then set aside.
3. Making the Bèchamel. Using a thick bottomed pan melt the butter slowly, add the flour and cook slowly while stirring for about 2 minutes (this is called a roux). Lower the heat. Pour the milk through a sieve into the roux, whisking till combined. When it is thick, set aside.
4. Add the goat’s cheese, the Parmesan and the grated Gruyère to the Bèchamel, stir until combined.
5. Whip the egg whites till hard peak.
6. Add the egg yolks into the Bèchamel. Whisk well. Add the finely chopped chives, season with salt and pepper.
7. Whisk in one spoonful whipped egg whites till no more lumps. Then fold the remaining gently. Double check the seasoning.
8. Spoon the mixture into the moulds, then clean the edges.

Option 1, single baked.
Put the ramequins on tray in oven, for about 15-20 minutes. Serve as soon as out of the oven.

Option 2, twice baked.
Put ramequins in deep tray and fill it with boiling water ¾ way up the sides of the moulds. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Remove from tray and allow to cool down. When it is time to serve them, put the ramequins back in the oven, with a dollop of cream on top, bake for 5 minutes and serve.