All those who have avoided making a souffle because you thought it was too difficult, raise your hand . . .
(raises hand)
I can’t tell you how many years, times I wanted to make a souffle and talked myself out of it because it involved whipping huge bowls of egg whites, securing some sort of paper cone around a souffle dish and then offering up prayers and your first born to the souffle gods in order to guarantee success. But this past week, I threw caution to the wind (and since my first born is now fully grown), grabbed Judith Jones’ recipe and gave it a whirl – and whadaya know – success the first time (and the crowd goes wild)!
Light, airy, cheesy, quick (not to mention gorgeous) it’s absolute perfection! The hardest part? Locating a 2 cup souffle dish that didn’t cost an arm and a leg – I finally found one at my area Sur La Table for $4.95 each.
And since cheese is the main ingredient, it’s really important to use the best quality cheese you can afford; it’s also best to grate it yourself as pre-grated cheese tends to be dried out and has lost some of its flavor.
JUDITH’S CHEESE SOUFFLE
O Magazine
NOTE: This recipe is for ONE SERVING so if you are making it for two or more, you’ll need to adjust accordingly.
Use a souffle dish that is 2-3/4 inches high and 4 inches in diameter or any oven-safe, straight-sided dish with a 2-cup capacity works (no need to line with parchment – the deep sides of the souffle dish is sufficient).
You can also vary the recipe by using 3 Tbsp. of a finely chopped cooked green vegetable, sauteed mushrooms, or minced ham, in which case use only 1 Tbsp. of mild grated cheese, like Swiss, in addition to the Parmesan.
2-1/2 tsp. butter
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan (use fresh – NOT the stuff in the green can!)
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
Large pinch of salt
Small pinch of paprika
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
1/3 cup grated cheese such as Cheddar or Swiss, tightly packed (I used Gruyere)
1. Smear 1/2 tsp. softened butter around inside of a souffle dish, and sprinkle Parmesan over it. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Melt 2 tsp. butter in a small pot, and stir in flour. Let cook over low heat for a minute, then remove from heat. Pour in milk, whisking vigorously, and return pot to medium-low heat to simmer for a minute, stirring constantly as the sauce thickens. Season with salt and paprika. Remove from heat, and whisk in egg yolk.
3. Put egg whites in a clean bowl and beat until they form soft peaks. Add a dollop of egg whites to pot, and mix in along with about half of grated cheese.
Fold in remaining egg whites and cheese; transfer everything to the prepared souffle dish.
Place dish on a baking sheet, and set it in the middle of the oven. Turn heat down to 375, and bake 18 minutes, until souffle has risen and top is lightly browned.
Perfection!
Wow, these look great. I’d love to try them in a mini cocotte (since I already have a few around) but they’re half the size of these ramekins. Debra, do you think halving the recipe might work?
Nancy ~ I cannot even tell you how easy-peasy this is – REALLY! Try it – I promise you’ll be amazed and wondering why it took you so long!
That’s it! I too have been “fearing” the elusive soufle, however after reading your post, I am going for it! Thanks!