Cheese Souffle Recipe

"Southerners have a bad habit of calling any dish with whipped egg white in it a souffle - hence all those recipes for cheese grits souffle or sweet potato souffle. There is way too much butter in both those concoctions for them to ever rise, especially the latter, which is typically topped with marshmallows. This classic French souffle is the real thing, and uses the bechamel method. It is very important to use low-moisture cheese when making souffles. Gruyere and Parmigiano-Reggiano are perfect because they are very flavorful, but dry and not overly fatty. Rich, fatty cheeses like blue or Brie are too heavy and your souffle won't rise at all. Adapted from Chef Virginia Willis' cookbook, "Bon Appetit, Y'all"."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 400º.

Step 2

Using 2 T of the butter, grease a 1-quart souffle dish or four 8-oz souffle ramekins and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to coat (if using the ramekins, place them on a baking sheet).

Step 3

To make the bechamel sauce, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the remaining 3T butter over medium heat.

Step 4

Whisk in the flour, and cook until foaming but not browned, about 1 minute.

Step 5

Whisk in the milk.

Step 6

Add the cayenne and nutmeg, and season with salt & pepper; bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 7

Once it is at a boil, continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

Step 8

Whisk together the yolks and a bit more salt & pepper in a small bowl.

Step 9

Temper the yolks so they won't curdle from the heat of the sauce first, add a little of the hot sauce to the yolks and whisk to combine.

Step 10

Add the yolk mixture a little at a time to the bechamel sauce and whisk quickly to blend.

Step 11

Fold in the Gruyere, the remaining 1/4 c Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the herbs.

Step 12

Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt & pepper and set aside.

Step 13

To beat the egg whites, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed until foamy, then increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes.

Step 14

Add about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites to the sauce and stir until well-mixed, then pour this lightened mixture over the remaining whites and fold together as gently as possible.

Step 15

Fill the prepared dish, smoothing the top with a metal spatula; rub your thumb around the inside edge of the rim, making a shallow channel around the batter.

Step 16

Place the souffle in the oven, reduce the heat to 375º, and bake until puffed, golden and just set in the center, about 25 minutes for one large souffle or 12-15 minutes for individual souffles.