Goats Cheese Soufflé

Soufflés are easy to make, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! There are a couple of 'secrets' whilst cooking - mixing the egg whites correctly, folding the flavour in. But the rest is having a good recipe. This blends parmesan and goats cheese in a perfect, light starter. The ramekins are also parmesan coated to add that extra flavour on the outside.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 Mins

Difficulty: Easy-Medium

Serves: Makes 3 Small

Ingredients

  • Goats Cheese 
  • Grated Parmesan
  • Double Cream
  • Eggs - 2 (possibly use grams)
  • Thyme - 3 to 4 stalks
  • Butter - 1 tbsp
  • Salt & Pepper

Method

Step One - Prep the Ramekins

This recipe coats the soufflé in in a crispy parmesan black pepper shell.

To do this, mix the grated parmesan with a sprinkle of ground black pepper. Next butter the inside of the ramekins and pour a teaspoon of grated parmesan into each.

Roll the parmesan around in the mould until it sticks to all the surfaces, once full coated, tip the ramekin upside down to pour any loose parmesan back in with the rest of the parmesan.

The parmesan stuck to the ramekin wall helps the soufflé rise by giving it a rough texture around the edge to grab onto when it's cooking.

Make sure the butter and parmesan goes all the way up to the edge.

 

Step Two - Make the Flavouring

Next, crack the eggs, pouring the yolks in one bowl, the whites in another.

In the bowl with egg yolks, place the goats cheese (if use a goats cheese with a skin on it, discard the skin). Add the thyme leaves (discarding the stalks), and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Using the back of a spoon, thoroughly crush the mixture together until you have a thick paste.

Add the cream to the yolk-goats cheese paste and mix until full combined with no lumps.

 

STEP Three - Whisk the Egg Whites

Whisk the egg whites in the other bowl either by hand or with an electric whisk. 

The key is to get them to 'almost' stiff, until you have soft domes form when you pull the whisk out which slightly loose their shape.

With such a small amount of egg, this won't taken much whisking with an electric whisk, so keep and eye out. If you go too far and full whisk it, the soufflés won't rise properly.

 

 

STEP Four - Fold the Mixture

Once the egg whites are whisked, fold about a table spoon them into the yolk-goats cheese mix - to loosen the mix. Then add the rest of the whites and continue to fold until all the whites are incorporated and you don't have any white streaks anymore.

Careful to stop at this point, as any more folding will damage the air bubbles locked in the mix and reduce the amount it will rise.

 

STEP Five - Cook the SouFFlés

Pour the mix into the soufflé ramekins, make sure you pour the mix up to the brim of the ramekin, as it will allow it to rise above the edge whilst in the oven and then running a fingernail around the edge of the mix to detach it from the edge and stop it cooking top sided.

Sprinkle the top with a tiny bit more parmesan (not much as it will cause additional weight).

Then place in the oven at 180°c (350°f; Gas Mark 4) for around 16-18 minutes.

Only open the oven after 16 minutes to check - if you open it too early it will collapse the soufflé.

 

 

STEP Six - Serve

Once the soufflé is done, serve as quickly as possible, it will stay standing for a few minutes, but eventually will collapse.

Hope you enjoy!