Mary Berry Cheese Souffle Recipes

MARY BERRY'S DOUBLE-BAKED MUSHROOM SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7 and butter the ramekins generously. Lay a piece of kitchen paper in the base of a roasting tin - the paper stops the ramekins slipping in the tin. 2. Melt 25g (1oz) of the butter in a large, non-stick frying pan, add the mushrooms and fry them over a high heat for a few minutes. Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat and cook for another 4 minutes, then remove the lid and fry over a high heat to evaporate the liquid. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set them aside. 3. To make the soufflé base, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour to make a roux and cook for a minute. Gradually add the hot milk and whisk over a high heat until you have a thickened, smooth sauce. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, until the sauce is smooth. Add the mushrooms and the cheese and season, then set aside to cool a little. 5. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Stir about a tablespoon of egg whites into the egg and mushroom mixture and carefully fold it in, keeping everything light and airy. 6. Divide the soufflé mixture evenly between the ramekins and sit them on the paper in the roasting tin. Pour enough boiling water into the tin to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the soufflés for about 15 minutes until risen and lightly golden. 7. To make the sauce, pour the cream into a jug and add the spinach and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. 8. To serve, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/Gas 7. Carefully run a knife around the edge of each ramekin and remove the soufflés. Sit the soufflés, browned side up, in an ovenproof dish, then spoon the sauce around them. Reheat for about 12 minutes until piping hot. Serve with dressed leaves or some brown bread. Prepare ahead: Can be made up to 8 hours ahead and reheated with the sauce as in step 8.

CHEESE SOUFFLé IN 4 EASY STEPS

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• EQUIPMENT: 15cm soufflé dish, saucepan, 2 large mixing bowls, wooden spoon, spatula, baking sheet, large metal spoon, measuring jug, grater, electric whisk, cutlery knife.

FOOLPROOF CHEESE SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Preheat the oven on to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Heat the milk until just below boiling.
• Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Take off the heat and gradually beat in the milk. Cook for 1 minute until you have a thick sauce.
• Season well and stir in the mustard. Cool for 1 minute whilst you butter the soufflé dish.
• Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks into the sauce along with most of cheese.
• Whisk the egg whites until you have soft peaks, don't overdo. Fold into the sauce. Fill the dish three quarters full. Run your finger round the edge to get a 'top-hat' finish.
• Place into an oven dish, top with the remaining cheese and a pinch of cayenne.
• Place in the oven and cook for 15-17 minutes.

THREE CHEESE SOUFFLé OMELETTE

Steps:

• Place a 7-or-8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Set the oven rack to the center position and heat the broiler to high.
• Place the yolks into a medium bowl and the whites into a large metal or glass bowl. Add the salt to the whites and, using a metal whisk or hand mixer, whip up until foamy and they hold medium peaks. Set aside. Lightly whisk the egg yolks until slightly foamy. Using a metal spoon or large whisk, gently fold the yolks into the whites just until combined.
• Melt the butter in the pan and gently pour in the eggs. Allow the omelette to cook for 1 minute. Gently sprinkle with all the cheese and transfer to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the cheese melts.
• Gently fold the omelette in half and transfer to a plate. Scatter with the herbs, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

DOUBLE-BAKED CHEDDAR SOUFFLéS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put milk, onion, nutmeg and bay leaves into a pan. Bring to the boil, then set side to infuse for 30 mins. Butter 8 x 150ml ramekins.
• Melt the butter in a second saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 min, stirring. Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Discard onion and bay leaf. Return to the hob and stir until the sauce boils and thickens.
• Off the heat, stir in the mustard, egg yolks and three-quarters of the cheese, then season. Scrape mixture into a large mixing bowl. In another big bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Boil a full kettle. Carefully fold the whites into the cheese mix and fill ramekins twothirds full. Transfer to a roasting tin, then pour the boiling water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 15-20 mins or until risen, just set and still a little wobbly. Take out of the tin and leave to cool.
• To serve, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7(or leave it at 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 if you are cooking the lamb). Loosen soufflés around the edges with a knife, then turn out, upside down, into a shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with rest of cheese, then spoon 1 tbsp cream over each soufflé. Bake for 10-12 mins till puffed and golden on the top (or 12-15 mins at the lower temperature). Serve at once with Crunchy celery & apple salad, below.