Cheese Soufflé.

This was an Easter treat. I haven't had a cheese soufflé since I was little; me, my dad, and my sister used to make them every now and then as a father-daughter activity. I have a clear memory of scooping in to one years ago, and the middle being gooey and sticky with melted cheese, while the outside was light as air.

 The soufflé I made here was just the same: gooey melted cheese at the centre with the rest light and fluffy. It proved a tricky thing to make though- I'm not sure how my dad managed it with two young children. There's lots of steps involved- it would see you well to get everything prepared before you start. It's well worth it though, you'll fill with pride if you manage to create this indulgent soufflé puffed up high in the bowl, and golden on top.


Ingredients:

• 50g butter, plus extra for greasing.
• 50g plain flour
• 500 ml milk
• One small onion, finely chopped
• One garlic clove, chopped in to thick chunks
• 6 eggs, separated
• 100g grated extra nature cheddar
• 100g grated mozzarella 
• 85g grated Parmesan cheese
• 1tsp Worcester sauce
• 1tsp mustard powder
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

• Mix the butter and flour in to a paste and leave in the fridge until needed.
• Pour the milk in to a pan and add the bay leaves, torn slightly, the onion, and the garlic. Heat on the hob until almost boiling,stirring constantly, then turn down the heat and keep hot for 10 minutes on a medium heat. Again, stir continuously.
• Once the time is up, strain the milk, pressing down on the onions to extract maximum flavour, and put the liquid back in to the pan.
• Take spoonfuls of the hot milk and mix it with the butter/flour paste in a separate bowl to make it runny. Once the mixture is loose, gradually add it to the milk, whisking as you go, until all the mix has gone and the milk in the hot pan has thickened to a paste.
• Leave the milk to cool for about 5 minutes and then mix in the egg yolks and 3 cheeses. Season with plenty of black pepper, the mustard, and the Worcester sauce.
• In a separate tall, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites, using an electric whisk, in to stiff peaks.
• Take 1/3 of the whites and mix it gently in to the cheese mixture to loosen it.
• For the remaining 2/3 of whites, gradually fold them in to the cheese mixture, keeping as much air in to the mixture as possible, while ensuring that it is thoroughly incorporated.
• Butter a large, tall , oven proof dish and then gently empty the soufflé mix in to it.
• Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 32 minutes. DURING THIS TIME DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR. If you do, the soufflé will deflait- you must wait until the 32 minutes is up.
• Serve with a big salad and potatoes of your choice (I recommend roasted) :)