My 3 Cheese Soufflé

 Put oven to 400 degrees.  Will bake for about 40-50 minutes. 

A Couple of Notes

 If at some point the cheese soufflé is getting too brown, simply and gently place a piece of tin foil over and to cover it - but try not to open the oven for at least 25 minutes. Additionally, adding the bread crumbs to the butter coated dish on the  bottom and the sides of the soufflé is fab! ******Also, keep in mind and this is super vital to know......a souffle will ALWAYS deflate within a few minutes.  It is not your fault.  This is why they say to serve immediately.  So you take it out of the oven just before eating, present it to your friends/family, take a picture and dig in.  By the way, it is equally delicious the next day and you can reheat it in the oven or you can pop it into the microwave to.  Succulently cheesy, flavorful, and very soul satisfying.

It's So Easy!!

The is so impressive and delicious and should should never intimidate.  If you can make a cheese sauce and then separately whip up egg whites in a mixer, you are mostly there.  A cheese soufflé is so elegant and classic and truth be told, easy to make.  I put mine into a good old fashioned Corningware dish, but any baking dish will do - as long as it can hold 6-8 cups.

The Recipe

2-4 tbsp. fine bread crumbs, 2 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup milk, 3-6 tbsp. unsalted butter, 6 tbsp. all-purpose flour, salt and freshly ground white pepper, pinch nutmeg, 6 large eggs separated, 1/2 pound cheese (for me I used 2 1/2 cups) such as Gruyere, Swiss or cheddar. You will also need extra butter to butter the casserole dish.

My Own Personal Touches

For my own personal touches to the cheese sauce I added 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. dry mustard, 3 tbsp. dry white wine, 1 tsp. smoked paprika. This is all optional however.  As for the cheeses I combined fresh Parmesan, smoked gouda and white cheddar cheese to make 2 1/2 cups.

The Method

Position a rack in the lower third of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.  Give the inside of 6-7 cup soufflé  mold a thick coating of butter.  Dust with bread crumbs, tap out the excess, and set aside.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. 

Cheese Sauce

In a pot, warm up the cream and milk together until it gets hot.  Turn off the element when it is hot or simmer but stir so milk doesn't burn.  Then in another pot you will melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat.  Stir in the flour, stirring this mixture to make a roux for about 2 minutes.  Stirring with a whisk, slowly blend in the hot milk.  When all the milk is incorporated and smooth, cook for a few more minutes or until the sauce thickens (you can at this point, put the sauce into the refrigerator in a Tupperware for up to three days and use at a later time).  Season the sauce with the salt, pepper and nutmeg (plus my additions if you like - see above). Take the saucepan off of the heat and cool for about 10-15 minutes.  Then one by one begin to whisk in the egg yolks, then stir in the grated cheese until melted.  Set the cheese sauce aside while you whip up the egg whites.

Egg Whites

Working with a mixer with whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with 1/4 tsp. of cream of tarter.  If you don't have cream of tarter don't worry.  Whip egg whites until they hold firm.  Then with a spatula or wooden spoon, fold one quarter of the whites into the sauce until blended, then continue to gently fold in the remaining whipped whites going nice and slow so you keep the bubbles. 

Scoop into the Baking Dish

Delicately turn into the prepared mold and bake for 40-50 minutes. Soufflé  will be giggly.

Serve With Some Greens

Stuff endive lettuce leaves with a mixture of cucumber, bacon, shrimp and tarragon.  Surround with arugula and drizzle with your favorite creamy dressing.  

Easy Dessert

For a quick but charming dessert, break out the teacups and fill them up with cupcakes and ice cream!