Fleur de Lolly: Souffle Classique au Fromage = Classic Cheese Souffle

Let me begin this blog post with an announcement: LOLLY MADE A SOUFFLE! AND IT DIDN'T FALL!

Thank you for letting me get that out of my system. For years I have been terrified of attempting a souffle. I conquered that fear this morning. That isn't to say that the possibility remains that I will have one in the future that flops, but if I do, I will always have today. Happy Smile.

This souffle rose tall and majestic with a crusty exterior and a super creamy interior. This recipe incorporates a thick egg yolk enriched bechamel sauce blended in with fluffy beaten eggs and flavored with rich Gruyere cheese.

4 T. unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
2 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese for the baking dish
1 cup whole milk, plus 1 T., divided
4 T. all purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
6 large eggs, separated, room temperature
pinch of salt
1/4 t. cream of tartar
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Gruyere cheese

Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and set a baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart, 4 inch tall souffle dish and coat with the Parmesan.

Heat 1 cup milk in a small heavy saucepan until bubbling but not boiling; keep warm. Melt 4 T. butter in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and whisk in the hot milk, sauce should be smooth.

Return pan to medium high heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook and whisk until very thick, about 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and whisk in the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.

Film the surface of the bechamel with 1 T. milk.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium speed until frothy, about 1 minute.

Add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Increase speed to medium high and continue beating until moist, stiff peaks form, 1 - 2 minutes.

Stir about 1/4 of the whites into the bechamel to lighten.

Gently fold in remaining whites using a spatula. Cut down through the middle, scrape along the bottom of the pan and back up through the top. Turn pan a quart turn and repeat until you've made it all the way around several times.

Gently fold in all the whites until no white streaks remain, sprinkling in the shredded cheese as you fold.

Transfer the batter into prepared dish, filling it about 3/4 inch from the top. It may be made to this point about 1 hour ahead. Cover dish with a large, upturned bowl.

Set the souffle dish onto the baking sheet.

Now you will need to make the "hat." Souffles rise best if the upper edge of the batter is detached from the sides. After filling the prepared dish, level the batter with a narrow metal spatula. \Grasp the edge of the souffle dish with your thumb extending into the souffle batter about 1/4 inch. Rotate the dish rapidly all the way around to create a "hat." Sometimes the batter will be too soft and you won't see a distinct "hat" forming. Nevertheless, you'll see the effect in the oven.

Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes** until well browned on top, puffed to about 2 inches above the rim and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean but moist.