Herb and Cheese Soufflé
Six-inch bottom soufflé mold
Parchment paper and a paper clip
2-quart saucepan
Wooden spoon, wire whisk, and silicone spatula
1.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Butter the inside of your soufflé mold generously, then sprinkle grated Parmesan all around to coat the buttered interior.
2.
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat, then stir in the flour. Let the butter and flour foam together for about one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the salt, white pepper, cayenne, and grated nutmeg, then return the mixture to the heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and let it thicken for one minute. Remove from heat and let it cool for five minutes before whisking in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in your herbs. This is your soufflé base.
3.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Gently stir about a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the soufflé base to lighten it. Add the grated Gruyère, saving a little for the top, and stir to combine. Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites until the mixture is light and airy.
4.
Transfer the batter to your prepared mold, then sprinkle the top with the reserved Gruyère. If your mold is low, you can create a collar by wrapping a folded strip of parchment paper around the outside and securing it with a paperclip to give the soufflé room to rise. Make sure there’s plenty of space above the mold in the oven for it to puff up. Turn the oven heat down to 375ºF.
Bake until the soufflé has risen beautifully and is golden brown on top. It should still have a slight jiggle when moved but no wet center—this will take about 35 to 45 minutes.
Ingredients
What you’ll need for the mold:
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 tablespoon finely grated Parmesan cheese
What you’ll need for the soufflé:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- A pinch cayenne pepper
- A pinch of grated nutmeg
- 4 egg yolks
- 5 egg whites
- ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 4 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
Cook's Notes
“Cookbooks are fairy tales for grown-ups.”
I have fond memories of learning to make cheese soufflé years ago from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julia Child describes the book as “a book for American home cooks that would present cuisine bourgeoise using the techniques of haute cuisine.”
A cheese soufflé is the perfect example of this—simple ingredients elevated through technique. I used to make soufflés more often, and I’m happy to have them back in my cooking rotation.
This dish makes a cozy, satisfying lunch (or as Julia would say, a “perfect luncheon”) when paired with a herbed green salad and a bottle of our Napa Valley Chardonnay.