Easy Cheese Soufflé Recipe

Preheat oven to 350F (180C) or convection oven to 325F (160C).

Lightly butter an 8-cup (2 L) soufflé dish.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes without browning. Whisk in hot milk, mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until sauce thickens. Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl. Stir 1/2 cup (125 mL) heated sauce into yolks. Add yolks back to sauce and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. Let cool 15 minutes.

Beat egg whites in a large, very clean bowl with cream of tartar until stiff, but not until dry peaks form. Stir one quarter of egg whites into cooled cheese sauce to lighten up sauce. Then add cheese mixture to remaining egg whites, gently folding into whites.

Turn into prepared soufflé dish. Smooth surface and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top is firm yet soufflé is slightly jiggly. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

More Information

Tips:

When a recipe calls for egg whites, separate eggs when cold to help prevent the egg yolk from breaking. When separating eggs, avoid any egg yolk that drops into the white as the whites will not beat as well or not at all. If some egg yolk falls into the whites, the easiest way to retrieve them is by using the broken shell to scoop under them, rather than a spoon. Use a clean, dry mixing bowl, (preferably metal or glass, rather than plastic) that is free of fat, to ensure good volume when beating egg whites. Beat egg whites until firm but not dry. When folding in egg whites, use a wide rubber spatula and scrape all the way to the bottom of the bowl, folding over gently.

Cream of tartar is an acid and it helps stabilize and give more volume when beating egg whites.

For shorter term storage, a good place to store cheese is in the refrigerator vegetable crisper. Firm or drier cheeses, such as Parmesan and aged cheddar keep well. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil to prevent dried edges and place in plastic bag. Buy smaller amounts of fresh cheese, such as feta, and use within a few days.