Double baked goat's cheese souffles

You may recall I've written myself a little list - "things a girl like me should know how to cook but doesn't" (I agree it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but it's a working title for now). So far I've ticked off steak tartare, English muffins, hollandaise sauce, and poached eggs (although only if my cheats method of using cling film is allowed). Next up, souffles!


Strangely, when I think of souffles I think of both the divine double baked cheese souffle at La Gavroche (aka heart attack in a ramekin) and the awful looking attempts contestants on Come Dine With Me cook in an effort to impress their rivals. I was hoping my souffles would fall somewhere in the middle of these 2 extremes, although I'd be rather chuffed if it swung slightly in the Michel Roux Jnr direction of course.

This was not the time for experimental new fandangled cooking, I need to go strictly old school to get this right. I consulted Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" which devotes about 15 pages to the subject of souffles, and Stephanie Alexander's "The Cook's Companion". The classic cheese souffle recipes I had were to be made as a large souffle - I wanted to make individual ones, but didn't want to risk playing around with the recipe. In the end I had beautiful goat's cheese to use so settled on the twice baked goat's cheese souffle from Stephanie Alexander. The recipe is below - and they are DI-vine.

Twice-baked goat's cheese souffles (from Stephanie Alexander's "The Cook's Companion")
(serves 6-8)
20 g butter
6-8 ramekins or tea cups of about 150ml capacity each

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C. Melt the butter and grease the ramekins.

60g butter
60g plain flour
350ml warm milk

Melt the butter in a small heavy-based saucepan. Add flour and whisk. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Gradually add the warm milk, whilst whisking. Once the milk has been added, bring to the boil. Keep whisking as the sauce thickens and simmer for 5 minutes.


75g goat's cheese (I used selles sur cher from La Fromagerie, via Hubbub)
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
4 eggs, separated

Mash the goat's cheese and then whisk into the sauce. Add and whisk through the parmesan and parsley. Once the sauce is smooth, leave to cool for a few minutes.

Fold 3 of the egg yolks into the sauce. Season the sauce.

Whisk the egg whites until creamy and in peaks that are only just stiff.

Fold the egg whites quickly and gently into the cheese sauce.

Divide the mixture between the ramekins. Set the ramekins in a baking tray, and pour boiling water 2/3 up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake the souffles for 18-20 minutes, until they have risen up and feel firm. (It's very exciting!)

Take out of the oven - the souffles will deflate slightly. After a few minutes tip the souffles out of the ramekins. You can prepare them up until this point and then continue when you are ready to serve.

2 cups double cream

Grease a baking tray/casserole dish with butter.

Place the souffles upside down in the baking tray so they are not touching and gently pour the cream over the souffles.

Bake in the oven (still at 180 degrees C) for 15 minutes. The souffles will turn golden and puff up. (This part is even MORE exciting!)

The souffles were amazing. I don't normally give unqualified praise for food I've cooked myself, but wow were these damn good. We ate them with token cherry tomatoes, tossed in balsamic vinegar and basil infused oil.