Magical soufflés!

'Quiche' Lorraine Soufflé with Lardons and aged Compte cheese

This recipe is for 4 persons and 1 large soufflé mold as shown above. You can cut it in half and still cook it in the same mold for 2 portions ( which is why in the photo it is only half way up the sides. When you fill it to the brim you will get a dramatic poof top rising up out of the mold - very impressive when served at the table.

Ingredients:

2 cups bechemel sauce -

(2 Tbs butter

1 Tbs plus 1/2 teaspoon flour

1 cup plus a teaspoon of whole milk (slightly warmed )

7 eggs, room temperature and separated

You will need just 6 egg yolks and 7 egg whites

4 Tbs heavy cream

2 1/2 cups grated sharp compte cheese or sharp white cheddar

2 tsp sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 Tbs soft butter to grease the mold

1 cup smoked bacon 'lardons' sautéed - browned in advance

After your bechemel sauce is cooked, set off the heat. Begin to separate the eggs - placing the whites in a kitchenaid or mixing bowl and the yolks in a separate bowl.

Whisk the egg yolks and cream together for a few minutes - vigorously- until they become thicker and paler in color. Add your still quite warm bechemel sauce - first start by adding just 1/3 cup, whisking it in vigorously to temper the eggs. Then whisk the rest of bechemel into the egg yolk mixture, add the grated cheese and put this mixture into the fridge for 5 min until cooled down - this is one of the secrets, and a very important step in achieving the rise!

Prepare the soufflé mold by greasing with a generous coat of butter, add the browned bacon lardons to the bottom of the soufflé mold. The soufflé will go on top. You can always omit the bacon and make this recipe vegetarian.

After the egg yolks have sat 5 min in the fridge start to whisk the egg whites. I use my kitchen aid to mont the whites, but a hand mixer or a ballon whisk will do just as well. Add the salt and let them form into stiff peaks. Be careful not to over beat - keep an eye as to stop just when they are stiff and white, letting it go too long will produce a granular effect.

Add 1/3 of your whipped egg whites to the egg yolk mixture and whisk in well. Then gently fold in the rest of the whites - after which, immediately pour it out into your mold and place in the oven at 400F for 20-25 min.

Know your oven! Every oven is a bit different which is why every soufflé recipe seems to call for a different oven temp!

Christophe’s mother starts her soufflé in a cool oven - she turns it on just moments before the soufflé goes in on 350 degrees F. Or 180 C. For 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a skewer will come out clean. Although some prefer the soufflé quite runny which is a matter of personal taste.

I recommend trying to make a few at home before it really counts.. for guests:)

Serve and eat immediately as it starts to go down within minutes.

La histoire dernier..

Souffles are something that always impress and not especially easy to make, without having a few tricks up your sleeve!

We've been practicing our soufflés for years and this started after I was served one by Christophe’s mother at their home in Antibes. She asked him to start by making the béchamel shortly after we had arrived for lunch, and I must admit, seeing him whip that up without even a recipe or hesitation sent my heart soaring.. a French man who cooks - I was a goner!

A perfect soufflé should have a light fluffy texture, but also be rich and flavorful, and not at all eggy tasting. I have made some a bit undercooked which yields a creamy center - which I prefer but a classic soufflé should be all light and airy inside, clean with the toothpick test.

Soufflés aren’t complicated to make actually - knowing when they are done and getting the oven temperature right are key. When the top starts to brown test it with a skewer or gently giggle, if it seems liquidy, it’s not done. If it giggles in the center, but firm around the rim of the dish, it’s done.

The other important part is knowing how to fold the egg whites into the base. You must gently fold in the egg whites. A few thin, visible streaks of egg whites should remain apparent but it should be consistent in streakiness throughout.

I got the inspiration to develop this 'quiche' Lorraine soufflé from a favorite food memory I have of my first French quiche Lorraine - which I purchased on my first trip to Paris in 1991 - it was just 2 francs at the time which wasn't a huge sum even for me on a student budget.. and it was worth every penny. It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted and I had to find out how on earth this was made!

Much of which is down to fresh cream from happy French cows, grazing on bucolic fresh fields of greens in the French countryside, the fresh bacon lardons are also coming from a small farm. Fleure de sel sea salt and freshly ground flour and French 82% fat fresh churned butter all come together to make a superior soufflé -

One must not compromise and always take pride in using the best possible ingredients!

It used to be most everything was made this way in France, and a baguette always cost 1franc. No matter if you bought it in Saint Germain en Laye in the fanciest patisserie in town or at a lesser known one. Unfortunately today, a lot has changed as there are now lots of industrial style chain boulangeries producing croissants from frozen pre made pastry. There are still however many artisanal Patissier's and boulangers who are making things the old fashioned way - and charging a bit more for it - as they should!

Grand Marnier Souffle

For a sweet soufflé you need to start out by making a Creme Pâtissière - which is a thick egg yolk custard - it really needs to be the consistency of a brownie batter. So if your adding flavors like orange juice and Grand Marnier liquid you need to be careful it doesn't become too thin. This of course has to with exact with portions, however eggs and flour, which form the base, can vary depending upon the temperature outside in your house etc. Same goes for your meringue- try making one on a very humid day.. very tough.

A few tricks :

Start by heating your milk to quite hot low simmer. Temper the eggs - using half the egg yolks with sugar and having beaten them to a pale ribbon, add a couple of tablespoons of hot milk whisking the egg yolks all the while as to temper and not cook the eggs. Then add all the hot milk and continue to whisk vigorously, place the egg yolk mixture on a double boiler or in a heavy bottomed enamel casserole pan to continue to cook over the stove - add the flour and corn stretch and beat vigorously to incorporate well. Continue cooking this and you should get a pretty thick glue like paste - add your orange zest, juice and finally tye Grand Marnier to achieve a fairly thick brownie batter like consistency.

Place this in the fridge to cool.

Prepare your ramekins -

Butter with room temp softened butter as to nicely coat all of the ramekins inside using a pastry brush and working from bottom to top - as to help the soufflé lift up and not stick, then coat the insides with a sprinkle of sugar.

Start whisking egg whites and gradually add the sugar until it is stiff glossy peaks. Do not over mix as this will result in a drier soufflé.

The tricky part! Knowing your oven...

Start in a cool oven and put the temp on 240c cook for 15 minutes. then lower the temp to 180c for the remaining 20 min

It really has to do with your own oven temperature as each one is slightly different. Knowing your oven is key. I recommend making a soufflé a few times and taking note of the temperature and results.