Classic cheese souffle
- Gordon Ramsay
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Serves 4
A challenge
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins - 55 mins
A star rating of 4.4 out of 5.8 ratingsRate
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Follow Gordon Ramsay's simple tips and you’ll make perfectly risen soufflés every time.
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Ingredients
Nutrition
Units:
MetricUS
-
75g butter
softened
-
50g flour
-
500ml milk
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1small onion
chopped
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1 star anise
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3 cloves
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1 bay leaf
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6 eggs
separated
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100g mature gruyère
coarsely grated, plus 15g slice
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100g mature cheddar
coarsely grated
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85g well-aged parmesan
grated
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1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
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1 tsp mustard
powder
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squeeze lemon juice
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100g ripe brie
cut into chunks
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Nutrition: per serving
- kcal686
- fat52g
- saturates28g
- carbs18g
- sugars8g
- fibre0.6g
- protein38g
- salt2.15g
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Method
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step 1
Mix 50g butter and flour into a paste (known as beurre manié, see notes, below). Chill to firm for about 30 mins. Heat milk to boiling point with the onion, spices and bay leaf, then simmer gently for 5 mins. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Taste milk for flavour.
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step 2
Strain the milk into a large pan, pressing down on the onion to extract the maximum of flavour. Place the pan back on the heat and gradually whisk in the butter paste, adding in small pieces until you have a thick sauce.
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step 3
Season, then leave to cool for 3-4 mins. Whisk in egg yolks, grated gruyère and cheddar, plus two-thirds of the parmesan. Add the Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Check seasoning, leave to cool. Can be made 2 days ahead – bring to room temperature before continuing.
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step 4
Brush the insides of a soufflé dish (approx 20 x 8cm deep) with the remaining 25g butter, using upward brush strokes. Coat the base and sides evenly with some parmesan and freshly ground black pepper. Chill to set. Cut the gruyère slice into diamond shapes.
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step 5
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Coat a large, grease-free bowl with the lemon juice (see tip, below). Whisk the egg whites in the bowl, then whisk a third of them into the cheese mixture, to loosen. Carefully fold remaining egg whites into cheese mixture until well mixed, but still light.
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step 6
Spoon half the mixture into prepared dish. Dot with brie and top with remaining mixture. Gently level the top. Arrange gruyère on top, scatter with remaining parmesan. Bake for 10 mins. Reduce oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, bake for 15-20 mins. The soufflé should be evenly risen and slightly wobbly. Serve immediately – the centre will be soft, but will thicken slightly when served.
RECIPE TIPS
FOR THE BASE OF A SAVOURY SOUFFLé
Make a flour and butter paste (a beurre manié). This is whisked into hot, well-flavoured milk – add extra flavour with curry spice, paprika or cayenne. Beurre manié paste can be made in bulk, rolled into a sausage and chilled or frozen. Then you can cut chunks to use for other soufflés.
TO MAKE A SWEET SOUFFLé
Use a base of crème patisserie – a thick egg yolk and flour custard. To prevent it boiling too soon, add a little sugar to the milk while it heats.
GORDON’S TIPS
Use a balloon whisk and spatula for mixing bases, and an electric mixer for firm egg whites. The slightest amount of grease prevents egg whites firming; a clean bowl and a squeeze of lemon juice rubbed around cleans it sufficiently.
GORDON’S TIPS
Eggs are critical for your soufflé to rise properly. Make sure you beat yolks into the hot base mixture 1-2 mins after cooking, then allow to cool. Beat the whites to stiff, but not dry, peaks. Add the whisked egg whites in two stages – a third beaten into the base to loosen it, and the rest gently folded in. This stops the mixture from splitting.
GORDON’S TIPS
I add extra flavour with chunks of ripe brie or wilted spinach for savoury soufflés, and fruit purées on the base of sweet ones.
GORDON’S TIPS
It’s essential to heat the oven before baking and get the oven shelf position sorted first. Don’t open the oven door until almost the end of cooking. A cooked soufflé can be left in the oven for a few extra minutes if the temperature is turned right down.
TO HELP THE MIXTURE RISE
Brush the dish sides with softened butter, using even, upward brush strokes (from bottom of dish to rim – see step 4). If you like, chill to set, brush again with more butter, then coat in grated parmesan and coarsely ground black pepper. For sweet soufflés, use ground nuts or grated chocolate. Chill the coated dish to set before filling.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, March 2006
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A star rating of 4.4 out of 5.8 ratings
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