Cheese soufflé in 4 easy steps
See this recipe step by step

Cheese soufflé in 4 easy steps

Didn't think you could manage a souffle? Try this simple step by step recipe and conquer a classic

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Plus cooling time
Vegetarian

Vegetarian

  1. Video tutorial: Making a souffle

Method

  1. Preparing the soufflé dish: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Butter a 15cm soufflé dish generously, then sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and rotate the dish to ensure the butter is evenly coated. Tip out any excess breadcrumbs. Making a thick white sauce: In a pan, melt the butter over a medium heat; stir in the flour and mustard. Cook, stirring, for 1 min. Take off the heat and gradually stir in the milk, mixing it in thoroughly before adding more. Return to the heat and stir continuously until very thick (around 10 mins). Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Crack the eggs, placing the whites into a clean bowl and stirring the yolks into the sauce. Stir in cheddar and season well.
  2. Adding the egg whites: Use a clean whisk to beat the egg whites until peaks form that just hold their shape (electric is best as it will make the job much quicker). Then take a metal spoon and gently stir the whipped whites into the white sauce in a figure of eight.
  3. Top-hatting: Spoon the mixture into the dish. Run a cutlery knife around the edge to create a 'top hat' effect; this ensures the soufflé rises above the rim and doesn't stick. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 mins until the top is golden and risen and has a slight wobble. Serve immediately.
  4. EQUIPMENT: 15cm soufflé dish, saucepan, 2 large mixing bowls, wooden spoon, spatula, baking sheet, large metal spoon, measuring jug, grater, electric whisk, cutlery knife.
Try

Soufflé hasn't risen?

Why? The egg whites may have been overwhisked (see below) or folded in too vigorously, causing the air to be knocked out of them. And if the oven door is opened before the 25 minutes is up, this would also cause the soufflé to collapse.

Vanilla soufflé

Line dish with butter and caster sugar, then make the soufflé as above, adding the seeds from 1 vanilla pod and 100g caster sugar and omitting the cheese and mustard.

Soufflé is runny inside

There should be a little runny mixture in the very centre of the soufflé, but if it is completely runny inside it will need to cook for longer.

Make individual soufflés

Fill six small ramekins up to three-quarters full, top-hat and then bake as before for 10-15 mins.

Molten chocolate soufflé

Line dish with ground almonds. Replace 2 tbsp of the flour with cocoa powder; omit mustard and cheese. Bake. Meanwhile, make a sauce by heating 142ml carton cream, pouring over 100g chopped dark chocolate and stirring until smooth. Drizzle onto the soufflé to serve.

Per serving

402 kcalories, protein 19g, carbohydrate 18g, fat 29 g, saturated fat 15g, fibre 1g, salt 1.02 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2007.

BBC Good Food shows - Book tickets now

Latest comments and suggestions

  • 12 February 2008

    Lyd commented on this recipe

    has any one given this a go? looks lovely! - anything with cheese is great!

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 22 July 2008

    Gina Hearn commented on this recipe

    I don't understand the 'top hat' bit with a knife. I thought you put greaseproof paper around the top so that the soufflé could rise up that...

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo Ti

    19 September 2008

    Ti commented on this recipe

    can you prepare the souffle mixture in advance

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 02 February 2009

    Colin commented on this recipe

    Can you cheat and use a ready made shop bought cheese sauce ?

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 28 February 2009

    hlnharrison rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    In response to previous "commenters" - yes you could cheat and use a ready made cheese sauce but no you cannot make this in advance. You could make it up to the point where you whisk and fold in the egg whites. I always adapt recipes to be as low in saturated fat as possible so used skimmed milk, omitted the butter and whisked in sauce flour to thicken the bechamel sauce and used half-fat cheese. It was absolutely delicious. I served it with the roasted coriander cauliflower - very, very tasty.

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • 04 June 2009

    nana rated this recipe

    4 stars

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

  • Binder photo jb

    23 October 2009

    jb commented on this recipe

    i was unable to play this or any other video because the screen opens too low down my screen for me to press play and it will not be moved at all sorry

    Flag as inappropriate

    Please let us know your name and the reason you find the above comment inappropriate.

Leave a comment or suggestion

You must sign in or register to leave a comment.

Sign in / Register

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 15 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Plus cooling time
Vegetarian

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 50g butter , plus extra for greasing
  • 25g breadcrumbs
  • 50g plain flour
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
  • 300ml milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 100g grated extra-strong cheddar , (blue cheese, goat's cheese and smoked cheeses also work well)
Send to a friend Print this recipe Add to your binder

Per serving

402 kcalories, protein 19g, carbohydrate 18g, fat 29 g, saturated fat 15g, fibre 1g, salt 1.02 g

Kodak

Your binder

Here are three other great reasons why to sign up:

  • You get an online binder, where you can store all your favourite recipes and create menus.
Find more recipes at Good Food channel

All about Good Food

Magazine

Good Food Magazine

Subscribe to Good Food magazine - enjoy inspired recipes delivered straight to your door every month.

Order today, receive your first 3 issues for just £3.

Events

BBC Good Food shows

Join us in Birmingham, London or Glasgow in November!

Plan your trip and book tickets online now.

On TV

Foodie TV

Good Food Channel - see your favourite chefs on Sky Channel 249, Virgin TV 260.

See all TV listings at radiotimes.com, see all goodfoodchannel.co.uk

listings.

Websites

Shopping Tried and tested recipes from Good Food and olive magazines. bbcgoodfood.com
Shopping

Recipes from the new TV channel and celebrity chefs. goodfoodchannel.co.uk