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souffle for two

Cheese Souffle for Two

There is nothing cozier than a cheese soufflé for two, hot from of the oven. Light a candle, bring the dish to the table with two forks and an herb-y salad for two, and let the world melt away.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup finely grated aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese , plus 2 tbsp for topping
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , at room temperature, plus more for brushing
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose/plain flour
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 small garlic clove , minced or pressed
  • 3/4 cup finely grated semi-hard cheese such as Manchego , Gruyère, or Comté, or a blend
  • 3 large eggs , separated
  • 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375?F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Butter an 8-cup/ 2-L soufflé mold and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano to coat completely all the way to the top. Shake any excess cheese out into a bowl. Put the molds in the freezer to chill.
  2. Melt the 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour, nutmeg, and salt; whisking constantly, cook the flour without browning, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the milk and garlic and continue to cook, whisking, at a low simmer until the mixture is smooth and thick like pudding, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the Manchego and any Parmigiano-Reggiano left over from coating the molds and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Continue stirring vigorously with a rubber spatula to cool.
  4. Whisk the egg whites and lemon juice in spotless bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until they just hold a soft peak. The key is to not over-whip the whites, which would give your soufflé a cloudy instead of creamy consistency.
  5. Fold one-fourth of the egg whites into the cheese mixture with a rubber spatula, carefully turning the bowl and mixing gently until the whites are streaked throughout. Add the remaining whites and fold in but don’t overmix, which can deflate the whites.
  6. Transfer the batter to the chilled mold and scatter the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Place the dish on a baking sheet/tray and set in the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 325?F/ 165°C/gas 3, and bake until the soufflé is golden, puffed, and set but just a touch wobbly inside, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

Cheese primer: A cheese soufflé is the sexiest way imaginable to use up leftover cheese since it benefits from a blend of different kinds. I like to use Spanish Manchego for the soufflé’s tender insides, and a well-aged Parmigiano-Reggiano for a crisp, golden crust. Other cheeses like Gruyère or Comté, semi-hard alpine cheeses that age slightly sweet and buttery, are classic and excellent choices for a soufflé as well.