This cheese soufflé recipe features our Pinnacle alpine-style cheese.
Here is an odd cooking myth. It is more prevalent in the US than in France. There is the notion that a cheese soufflé is the most fragile of foods. And, therefore, one of the most difficult to prepare. There is a belief that it will collapse like a pierced balloon if the oven door is opened or if there is a jarring of the oven rack. That is nonsense.
A soufflé must be taken from the oven and served immediately (preferably within seconds). However, a souffle can remain in the oven for five minutes or so between the moment when it is “ready to serve” and the time when it will be overcooked.
Cheese Soufflé
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter +2 tsp butter
- 1/4 lb Pinnacle Cheese 3/4 cup grated (or other alpine-style cheese)
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- pinch cayenne
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 6 large eggs separated
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Use 2 tsp of the butter to grease a 5-cup soufflé dish
- Grate the cheese (should be about 3/4 cup)
- Scald the milk without boiling
- Melt 3 tbsp of butter in saucepan. Add flour, stirring with wire whisk. Blend until smooth. Gradually add the hot milk, stir rapidly with whisk. Add nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over moderate heat about 5 minutes, stirring rapidly.
- Blend cornstarch with water and add it, stirring briskly.
- Remove from heat and beat in the egg yolks. Pour and scrape the mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese.
- Beat egg whites until stiff. Add half the whites to the sauce and fold them in with the whisk. Add the remaining whites and grated Pinnacle cheese. Fold this in with a plastic or rubber spatula until the whites are completely incorporated.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish. Place in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
