A day for soufflé

While it might not rise to the level of other annual holidays, National Soufflé Day is a great excuse to get out those individual ramekins you don’t use enough and gather the family around to dive into a puffy, savory treat that’s been tempting palates (and striking fear into the hearts of novice chefs) since the 18th century. Souffles, an inspired mixture of egg whites, white sauce, and cheese, aren’t difficult to make, but you do need to follow the instructions carefully. They’re delicious treats that in our opinion deserve more than a day of homage.

Here in the Dairy State, Wisconsinites have whipped up more than our share of cheese souffles, and while we know the secret to their regal puffiness is those stiffly beaten egg whites, a successful soufflé also depends on the cheese you choose. Traditionally, Gruyere is the star, with Parmesan used to prepare the baking dish. But if you don’t have either of those on hand, you can create flavorful, impressive souffles with Cheddar or Gouda, too. Here’s the program:

Cheese Soufflé

Tools

-Hand or stand mixer

-Six 8-ounce ovensafe ramekins or a 1.5-quart souffle dish

Ingredients

Butter and finely ground bread crumbs for preparing ramekins

3 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. flour

1 cup milk, or ½ cup milk and ½ cup half and half

5 eggs, separated into 5 whites and 4 yolks

A pinch of nutmeg (if using Gouda) or pinch of cayenne pepper (if using Cheddar)

1 cup (about 3 ounces) grated Cheddar or Gouda cheese

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F (as you get better acquainted with making souffles, you can up the temp to 400° to create a more browned top). Use butter and then bread crumbs to coat the ramekins, then store them in the refrigerator. In a small pan over medium low heat, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter, and add the flour, stirring briskly with a fork or a whisk to incorporate. Cook the mixture for about a minute, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. When the mixture has formed a sauce, let it simmer until it thickens slightly, stirring and making sure it’s incorporated. Reduce the heat to low and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg or cayenne. Pour into a heatproof mixing bowl and let cool slightly.  Mix egg yolks in one at a time and set aside while you beat the egg whites in a large mixing bowl with either a hand or stand mixer. Beat until they’re glossy and you can form peaks by lifting the beaters out.

Using a rubber spatula and adding only one-third at a time, combine the egg whites into the souffle base, folding in gently but making sure they’re integrated. Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator and add soufflé batter to each, being careful to fill only to the inner rim, not to the brim. Place ramekins in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until firm and lightly golden brown on top.