Dear Eric: Do you have a recipe for twice-baked soufflés?
Linda
Dear Linda: I love fresh-baked soufflés, whether savoury or sweet. The big issue I have when making them for guests, though, is that there’s a lot of last-minute fussing.
For example, I have to prepare the soufflé cups, make the custard base, whip the egg whites and then delicately fold them into the base just before the soufflés are baked. That takes focus and takes me away from kibitzing with my guests.
On occasions when I would rather sip wine with my guests than focus on fiddly food preparation, I’ll make twice-baked soufflés. They always turn out rich and divine and can be prepared well in advance.
For today’s recipes, I baked single-serving cheese and green onion soufflés until puffed and golden. When they were done, I removed them from the oven and let them cool. I then unmoulded them and covered and refrigerated them until ready to bake the second time.
During that process, the soufflés collapse and you wonder how these heavy, eggy things will puff again, but they do when you heat and bake them the second time. Also, because you are baking them out of the cup the second time, the whole exterior of the soufflé takes on a glorious golden colour and crust.
As you can see by the length of today’s recipe, there’s a lot of work involved in making them. But the good news is that you can prepare the soufflés a day before needed and get everything cleaned up long before your guests arrive. The next day, all you have to do is pop the soufflés back into the oven, make the simple sauce and serve.
Twice-Baked Soufflés with Mustard Cream Sauce
Create a decadent brunch or lunch by serving these soufflés with a green salad and some sparkling wine.
Preparation time: 35 minutes, plus chilling time
Cooking time: About 50 minutes
Makes: Four servings
For the cups
2 Tbsp fine dry breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp melted butter
Brush and evenly coat the insides of four small (1/2-cup) ramekins or soufflé cups with the butter. Sprinkle breadcrumbs into each cup. Now swirl the breadcrumbs so that they evenly coat the inside of each cup. Shake out the excess breadcrumbs. Place cups in a sided baking pan, and then set aside.
For the soufflés
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 cup warm milk (see Note)
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
100 grams old cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and white pepper to taste
• pinch ground nutmeg and dried thyme
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• grainy mustard cream sauce (see recipe below)
Melt the butter in a small pot set over medium heat. Stir in flour until well combined; cook and stir two minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Gradually dribble and whisk in the milk. Set back on the stove, bring to a simmer and cook and stir until the mixture is very thick, about two minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400 F. When the thickened milk mixture has cooled, mix in the egg yolks until well combined. Now mix in cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg, thyme and green onions, reserving a little green onion to sprinkle on the soufflés when plated.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Whisk a third of them into the cheese mixture to lighten it. Now, with a thin spatula, very gently fold the rest of the whites into the cheese mixture, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible.
Divide and spoon the mixture into the prepared cups, filling them right to the top. Place the pan in the oven. Now add enough hot water to the pan that it comes halfway up the sides of the cups.
Bake the soufflés until puffed and golden, about 26 to 28 minutes. Remove from the oven, set the pan of soufflés on a baking rack, and cool 30 minutes. (The soufflés will collapse, but don’t worry; they will puff again when baked the second time.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Carefully run a thin paring knife around the edge of each soufflé cup. Carefully turn the soufflés on to the baking sheet. Reattach any soufflé that may have adhered to the cups when unmoulding. Set the soufflés puffed and golden side up.
The soufflés can be made to this point up to a day before needed. Cool to room temperature, tent with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake the second time.
When ready to bake the second time, preheat the oven to 350 F.
Unwrap the soufflés and bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 or 25 minutes, or until hot and puffed up. Set one soufflé on each of four plates. Drizzle some of the mustard sauce around each soufflé. Sprinkle with the reserved green onions and serve immediately.
Note: The milk can be warmed in the microwave in a glass measuring cup.
Mustard Cream Sauce
This easy-to-make sauce will richly enhance the flavour of the twice-baked soufflés.
You can make the sauce in advance and reheat when needed.
Preparation: A few minutes
Cooking time: About seven minutes
Makes: One cup
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place the wine in a small pot, bring to a boil over high heat and reduce the wine by half. Pour in the cream, bring to a simmer, and reduce until the cream lightly thickens, about three minutes. Whisk in mustard. Season the sauce with a bit of black pepper and it’s ready (the mustard will add a salty taste).
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
