The perfect marriage

Souffles are a lot like marriage... They are difficult at times. They require patience and preparation. They are very rewarding. They can be sweet or savory. They can be dramatic and exciting. They can be light and fluffy. They can be crusty around the edges. They are fragile and should be treated delicately at times. They can even fail or fall.

But a good souffle is the perfect marriage between two lucky ingredients: (1) Eggs, beaten like the dickens, and (2) A thick, well-seasoned base. The perfect marriage can be achieved, and especially when your inspiration is cheese, oh, is it lovely...


The Perfect Marriage of Eggs and Cheese
(Otherwise known as a Gruyere cheese souffle)

- butter, room temperature for greasing container
- grated Parmesan, about 1/4 cup or less
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/3 cup of milk
(Alton Brown says the milk should be hot, and I suppose it helps).
- 4 large egg yolks
- LOTS of shredded Gruyere cheese (about 6-8 ounces)
- 5 egg whites
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (if you are using a copper bowl to beat your eggs, you do not need this.)

First, most chefs recommend that with a cheese souffle, you generously butter the inside of your chosen souffle dish and coat it with dry breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan cheese. Uh... I chose cheese.

Cover this souffle dish with plastic wrap, or my favorite, press and seal, and stick it in the refrigerator or freezer for about 5 minutes (to help set the cheese and butter in place).

Turn your oven on to preheat to 375 degrees. (350 if you are making individual ones).

Okay, so some would say that your flavorful base is a bechamel sauce. I don't know if it always qualifies for other souffles, especially dessert souffles, but it seems to fit the bill here. It also makes me feel oh so Frenchy to make a bechamel and souffle at the same time. Thank you very much.

So, the bechamel... it starts by heating the butter in a saucepan whisking constantly so it does not start to brown or burn. Add the flour, dry mustard, and salt and whisk well. Turn the heat up and let this cook for about 2 minutes. Continue to whisk while the mixture simmers, and until it is thick and smooth. These seem like vague terms, but you can tell when you bechamel takes on a new identity. It is subtle, but it is there...

Take this off the heat and add in Gruyere. The mixture will become very stiff. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Set this aside.

Using a handy hand-mixer (to allow for maximum froth and flexibility) whip the egg whites and cream of tarter. Beat, whisk, and generally whip the eggs until they no longer resemble eggs. They will become frothy and form peaks when you pull out the whisk. See left.

Now, move quickly here, but do not get too crazy with your eggs. Treat them delicately (see marriage comparison above) as they are infused with air, and you do not want to burst their bubble.

Slowly combine the cheesey base to the egg mixture. Gently fold the mixture together in a bowl and then pour the mixture into the souffle pan. For drama, fill it closer the top. I left about a 1/2 inch. Place the souffle pan on a baking sheet and cross your fingers for about 35 minutes.

For the life cycle of a souffle, see below.

For the life cycle of a marriage, well, that one is another story...