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Twice-baked Cheese Soufflés

If you are hesitant to cook cheese soufflés, this is the recipe for you. Found on bistro menus throughout France, the soufflés are baked, cooled, turned out and re-baked with a creamy sauce. This is one of the most delicious cheese dishes you will ever eat – magically rich but light. You can vary the cheeses, but we love the slight acidity of goat’s cheese

30 minutes, plus cooling time prep, 40 minutes cook

Serves 8

Ingredients

olive oil, for greasing

3 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs

60g butter

75g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

500ml full-fat milk

150g semi-soft goat’s cheese log, diced

50g Parmesan, finely grated

4 large eggs, separated

400ml double cream

100g Beaufort cheese, grated (or British alternative such as Cornish Kern)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

green salad, to serve

Special kit:

8 x 180-ml ramekin dishes

8 x individual gratin dishes, about 14 cm

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly grease the ramekin dishes with a little olive oil and then dust the insides with breadcrumbs to coat. Transfer the ramekins to a deep baking pan.

Melt the butter in a small pan, add the flour and mustard, season with salt and pepper and stir well with a wooden spoon over a low heat until the mixture comes together. Continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to the heat and stir until it comes to the boil. Simmer gently for 2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce has thickened. Cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the goat’s cheese and 30 g of the Parmesan until melted. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time and transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Whisk the egg whites in a separate clean bowl until soft peaks form, then fold into the cheese mixture until evenly incorporated. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins and run a knife around the edges to encourage the rise. Pour boiling water into the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes or until risen and browned. Remove the soufflés from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Oil the gratin dishes. Run a small palette knife around the edges of each soufflé and turn them out, placing them upside down in the prepared dishes. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just boils, pour over and around the soufflés then carefully sprinkle over the Beaufort and the remaining Parmesan. Return to the preheated oven and bake for a further 10–15 minutes until bubbling and golden. Serve with a green salad.