Twice Baked Cheddar Souffles

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 300 ml milk
• 1/2 small onion, studded with
• 1 clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 40 g butter, plus
• extra butter, for greasing
• 40 g flour
• 150 g good cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
• 3 medium eggs, separated
• 200 ml double cream
• parsley sprig, to garnish

Recipe

• 1 put the milk in a small pan with the onion and bay leaf.
• 2 bring slowly to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
• 3 remove the onion and the bayleaf.
• 4 prehat oven to 200*c (400*f).
• 5 in another pan, melt the butter, then add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
• 6 remove from the heat, then gradually stir in the infused milk.
• 7 return to the heat and stir constantly until thickened and just beginning to boil.
• 8 remove from the heat, then add 125g (4 oz) of the cheese and the mustard.
• 9 season well and add a good pinch of nutmeg, then beat in the egg yolks.
• 10 butter six 150ml (1/4 pint) ramekins.
• 11 put the kettle on to boil.
• 12 whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the cheese sauce.
• 13 spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins, then put them in a roasting tin.
• 14 pour enough boiling water into the tin carefully, to come up halfway up the ramekins.
• 15 bake for 15 to 20 minutes until set and golden.
• 16 leave to cool.
• 17 run a knife around the edge of each ramekin, then carefully turn the souffles out on to a buttered oven proof dish.
• 18 to serve turn the oven to 220*c (425*f).
• 19 season the cream with salt and pepper to taste.
• 20 pour it over the souffles.
• 21 sprinkle over the remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until the cream is bubbling and the souffles have risen.
• 22 remove with a palate knife and serve immediately, garnished with parsley.
• 23 note: you can complete the recipe to the end of the first baking and put them in the buttered dish, cover and store them in the fridge up to a day ahead.