All the greatest chefs have a signature soufflé, and most of us have had a soufflé disaster at home at some time or other, but it doesn't have to be like that, says TV and Radio personality and member of the Guild of Food Writers Bill Buckley.
Ingredients
- 3oz (75g) butter
- 2oz (50g) plain flour
- ½ pint (300ml) semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- 4oz (100-125g) mature Cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder (or a dollop of made
English mustard to taste)
- 3 medium eggs, separated
Method
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute.
3. Off the heat, gradually stir in the milk until the mixture is
smooth.
4. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring
continually.
5. Add the cheese, seasoning and mustard.
6. Take off the heat and beat in the yolks.
7. Leave the mixture to one side to cool to room temperature.
8. Whisk the egg whites until smooth, glossy and holding stiff
peaks, but be careful not to over-whisk.
9. When the cheese mixture has cooled sufficiently, stir in two
tablespoons of the whites, then gently but swiftly fold in the
remainder with a metal spoon, taking care not to destroy the air
bubbles you have created.
10. Spoon the mixture into a well-greased 2-pint (550ml)
soufflé dish.
11. Bake in an oven preheated to 190ºC (375ºF/Mark 5) for
40-45 minutes until the soufflé is well risen, lightly set,
and brown and crusty on top.
Bill Buckleys tips:
First, let's go back to the incorporation of the egg whites.
Don't overwhisk them: yes, they need to be smooth and glossy with
stiff peaks, but that's the time to stop before they start breaking
down again. Fold them in gently but swiftly and thoroughly, using a
metal spoon, otherwise you'll smash the air bubbles the whisking
created.
Secondly, get the oven temperature right. I'm surprised that in
the technologically-advanced 21st century, we still need to talk
about 'fas'" and 'slow' ovens, but they do seem to vary
considerably, so the best I can say is, set yours to between
190ºC (375ºF, Mark 5) and 200ºC (400ºF, Mark
6).
Number three is timing. Clearly, soufflés in individual
ramekins are going to need less cooking than big ones, but even
making soufflés in, for example, a 1½- instead of a
2-pint dish requires adjustment.
You may have to experiment a couple of times with both points two
and three, but if your first attempt isn't quite as airy as you
hoped, so what? Make it for a couple of family suppers and laugh
off any imperfections before its first dinner party
appearance.
My fourth and final tip is to allow the mixture of other
ingredients to cool to room temperature before folding in the
whisked whites.