Cheese Soufflé with Leek Sauce
Cheese Soufflé with Leek Sauce
Ingredients
For the Cheese Base (Yields 8 portions)
- 35 g butter
- 35 g flour
- 200 g milk
- 200 g Gruyere cheese
- 80 g double cream
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated, or as needed
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For the Cheese Soufflé (Yields 4 portions)
- 210 g cheese base, warm, from above recipe
- 200 g egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, a little
- as needed butter, soft, for moulds
- as needed flour, for dusting moulds
- as needed Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
For the Cheese and Leek Sauce (Yields 4 portions)
- 1 leek, chopped into small diced pieces
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 50 g butter
- 200 g double cream
- 80 g Gruyere cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- as needed Parmesan cheese, additional grated, for gratination
- as needed chives, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the cheese base: Melt 35g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min
- 2
Add 35g of flour to the melted butter and cook for a few minutes, continuously whisking, to form a roux.
⏱️ 3 min
- 3
Gradually add 200g of milk to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 4 min
- 4
Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes, continuing to whisk.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Stir in 80g of double cream. Grate in about 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, then add 200g of Gruyere cheese, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Transfer the warm cheese base mixture into a blender. Add 6 egg yolks and blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Set aside (this yields 8 portions of base; you will use 210g for 4 soufflé portions).
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Prepare your soufflé moulds by brushing them generously with soft butter and then dusting them lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 150
- 8
Pour 200g of egg whites into a clean stand mixer bowl. Add a little lemon juice (about 1/4 teaspoon). Whisk the egg whites on high speed until they form stiff peaks.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Take 210g of the warm cheese base and gently fold in the whisked egg whites in two additions until just combined. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared moulds, filling them about two-thirds full. Place the soufflé moulds in a bain marie (a larger baking dish with hot water around the moulds).
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C for 16-20 minutes, or longer if using bigger moulds, until the soufflés are puffed and golden.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 150
- 12
While the soufflés are baking, prepare the cheese and leek sauce. Chop 1 leek into small diced pieces and mince 1 garlic clove.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Melt 50g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and minced garlic. Sweat them in the butter until they are soft, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 14
Season the softened leeks and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour in 200g of double cream and add 80g of Gruyere cheese.
⏱️ 2 min
- 15
Stir the sauce continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened slightly. Keep warm.
⏱️ 3 min
- 16
Once baked, carefully remove the soufflés from the oven. Invert them onto a serving tray or individual plates. Cover the top of the soufflé generously with grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 2 min
- 17
Pour the warm cheese and leek sauce over your cooked soufflés. Increase oven temperature to 200°C (400°F). Place the sauced soufflés back into the oven for about 5 minutes, or until gratinated all over.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 200
- 18
Garnish with chopped chives if desired and serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Cheese Soufflé with Leek Sauce
For the Cheese Base (Yields 8 portions)
- 35 g butter
- 35 g flour
- 200 g milk
- 200 g Gruyere cheese
- 80 g double cream
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated, or as needed
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
For the Cheese Soufflé (Yields 4 portions)
- 210 g cheese base, warm, from above recipe
- 200 g egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, a little
- as needed butter, soft, for moulds
- as needed flour, for dusting moulds
- as needed Parmesan cheese, grated, for topping
For the Cheese and Leek Sauce (Yields 4 portions)
- 1 leek, chopped into small diced pieces
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 50 g butter
- 200 g double cream
- 80 g Gruyere cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- as needed Parmesan cheese, additional grated, for gratination
- as needed chives, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the cheese base: Melt 35g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
⏱️ 2 min - 2
Add 35g of flour to the melted butter and cook for a few minutes, continuously whisking, to form a roux.
⏱️ 3 min - 3
Gradually add 200g of milk to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a boil.
⏱️ 4 min - 4
Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes, continuing to whisk.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Stir in 80g of double cream. Grate in about 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, then add 200g of Gruyere cheese, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir until the cheese is melted and fully incorporated.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Transfer the warm cheese base mixture into a blender. Add 6 egg yolks and blend until the mixture is completely smooth. Set aside (this yields 8 portions of base; you will use 210g for 4 soufflé portions).
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Preheat your oven to 150°C (300°F). Prepare your soufflé moulds by brushing them generously with soft butter and then dusting them lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 150 - 8
Pour 200g of egg whites into a clean stand mixer bowl. Add a little lemon juice (about 1/4 teaspoon). Whisk the egg whites on high speed until they form stiff peaks.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Take 210g of the warm cheese base and gently fold in the whisked egg whites in two additions until just combined. Be careful not to deflate the egg whites.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared moulds, filling them about two-thirds full. Place the soufflé moulds in a bain marie (a larger baking dish with hot water around the moulds).
⏱️ 3 min - 11
Bake in the preheated oven at 150°C for 16-20 minutes, or longer if using bigger moulds, until the soufflés are puffed and golden.
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 150 - 12
While the soufflés are baking, prepare the cheese and leek sauce. Chop 1 leek into small diced pieces and mince 1 garlic clove.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Melt 50g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped leeks and minced garlic. Sweat them in the butter until they are soft, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 14
Season the softened leeks and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper. Pour in 200g of double cream and add 80g of Gruyere cheese.
⏱️ 2 min - 15
Stir the sauce continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened slightly. Keep warm.
⏱️ 3 min - 16
Once baked, carefully remove the soufflés from the oven. Invert them onto a serving tray or individual plates. Cover the top of the soufflé generously with grated Parmesan cheese.
⏱️ 2 min - 17
Pour the warm cheese and leek sauce over your cooked soufflés. Increase oven temperature to 200°C (400°F). Place the sauced soufflés back into the oven for about 5 minutes, or until gratinated all over.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 200 - 18
Garnish with chopped chives if desired and serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min