French leader Charles de Gaulle once famously said “How can you govern a country that has 246 varieties of cheese?”. And I am sure that all amateur cooks (myself included) have at some stage attempted their own version of a Cheese Soufflé, the famous French dish which even has its own National Day (18 May). Australian Chef Stephanie Alexander left her mark on the culinary scene with her iconic Twice-baked Goat Cheese Soufflés, a signature dish at her Melbourne restaurant for many years. Stephanie’s Restaurant first opened in Fitzroy in 1976, then moved to a grand Victorian house in Hawthorn in 1980, finally closing in 1997. This recipe remains one of her most popular and so I share it with you today in homage to her fabulous recipe book, The Cook’s Companion.
Ingredients for Twice-Baked Goat’s Cheese Soufflés
- 80g butter
- 60g plain flour
- 350ml of warm milk
- 75g of fresh goat’s cheese (fromage de chèvre frais)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley (persil)
- 3 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites
- 2 cups of cream
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Melt 20g of the butter and grease 6-8 soufflé ramekins.
- Melt the remaining butter in a small non-stick saucepan. Then stir in the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring for 2 minutes.
- Next gradually add the milk, stirring all the while. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mash the goat’s cheese until soft and add to the hot sauce with the parmesan and parsley. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Fold the egg yolks in thoroughly and taste for seasoning.
- Beat the egg whites until creamy before folding them quickly and lightly into the cheese mixture.
- Next divide the mixture between the prepared moulds and smooth the surface of each.
- Stand the ramekins in a baking dish lined with a tea towel and pour in boiling water until it reaches two-thirds up their sides.
- Put the dish in the oven and bake for about 20′ until firm to the touch and well risen.
- Remove the soufflés from the oven. Don’t be alarmed if they start to deflate and look wrinkled.
- Allow to rest for a minute, then gently ease them out of the moulds. Turn upside down onto a plate covered with plastic film and leave them until needed.
- When ready to serve, preheat oven to 180°C. Then place the soufflés in a buttered ovenproof gratin dish, making sure they are not touching. Pour the cream over (1/2 cup per soufflé) to moisten them.
- Return them to the oven for 15 minutes. Take them out when they look golden and puffed. (Soufflé is a French word that means to “puff up”.)
- Serve with a bit of cream from the dish or a fresh tomato sauce and a small green salad.
