Daring Cooks Challenge November, 2010; Soufflé (Julia Child's Cheese)

Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided two of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.

One of the links they provided was a video of Julia Child making her classic cheese soufflé.  I decided to make that..  Mine didn't rise nearly as much as I had expected it to and when I scooped into it to serve, I discovered it was still raw inside. I returned it to the oven for another 15 minutes and it was fine.

I checked the temperature of my oven with a removable thermometer and it's correct, so I'd be inclined to add at least 10 minutes to what this recipe calls for in terms of baking time.

Despite everything it was very tasty and I will try making another one at some point. I saw a few images posted in the forum of beet flavoured soufflés; they looked amazing and I will probably try making one of those next.

Recipe by Julia Child, Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, Alfred A. Knopf, 2000

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup hot milk
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• pinch nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 egg yolks
• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
  
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Butter a 6-cup souffle or straight-sided baking dish with 11/2 tablespoons butter. Dust the interior of the dish with the Parmesan and knock out the excess.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium high heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the butter and flour foam and froth. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the hot milk, then simmer over medium heat and stir slowly until thick, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the seasonings, then the egg yolks, 1 by 1.

Whip the egg whites to stiff, shining peaks, then whisk 1/4 of them into the sauce to lighten it. Delicately fold the remaining egg whites into the sauce, alternating with the grated Swiss cheese.

Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared dish and set in the oven. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and bake until the souffle has puffed 1 or 2-inches above the rim and has browned on top, about 25 to 30 minutes (You may have to extend this time up to 45 minutes; see my notes above). Serve immediately.