If you’re intimidated by the prospect of making a souffle, then this recipe is a special gift for you.  This double-baking method (oven time separated by hours,  if convenient) is great for entertaining: no more guessing about when’s the correct time to put the souffle in the oven;  no more anticipating when the guests will be ready to eat the puffed-up, gorgeous masterpiece.    Plus, I’ve always felt that  individual servings (in this case individual souffles) makes each guest feel special. 😉 The recipe comes from Secrets of Success, one of my favorite cookbooks.

TWICE-BAKED GOAT CHEESE SOUFFLE
(from Michael Bauer’s Secrets of Success, original recipe from Barbara Mulas & Mark Drazek)

butter for greasing ramekins, plus 3 Tbs
1 cup bread crumbs
3 Tbs cake flour
1 cup milk, warmed slightly in a microwave
10 ounces goat cheese, divided
3 large egg yolks
salt and pepper
1 cup egg whites (about 7 large eggs)

Heat the oven to 425F.

Butter 8 ramekins (5 ounce size), and coat them with bread crumbs. Reserve remaining bread crumbs.

Melt the butter in a saute pan, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Whisk in the milk, cook stirring until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Crumble 8 ounces of the goat cheese in a large bowl (you will have 2 ounces left), add the hot milk/flour mixture, stir to combine. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mix well, and season with salt and pepper.

Beat the egg whites by hand or with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Delicately mix half the egg whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it a little. Then, fold the rest of the egg whites. Fill the ramekins halfway with the mixture, crumble a little goat cheese on top, and fill the ramekins to the top with the remainder of the souffle mixture. Sprinkle the top with bread crumbs.

Place the ramekins in a large baking dish, and fill it halfway up the sides of the ramekins with very hot (or boiling) water. Bake on the center of the oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, let it sit in the water for about 15 minutes, then carefully unmold them, by running a knife around the edges and inverting the ramekins over a plate. Transfer them to a baking dish. They can be held at room temperature for up to 6 hours.

When you are ready to serve them, bake at 425F until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

ENJOY!

 

to print the recipe, click here

 

Comments: I’ve used this recipe many times in the past few years, sometimes with feta cheese instead of goat cheese, but always with the same delicious outcome. It is important to coat the ramekins well with butter, so that they easily un-mold.   One or two of pieces of bruschetta on the side  completes the perfect opening for a special dinner.

The recipe comes from Zax, a now (unfortunately) defunct restaurant in Berkeley.   You can find old reviews online praising this dish, and once you try it, you’ll praise it too!

Note to self:  try this method with other flavors.   According to Bauer, the key to making a twice-baked souffle is the use of cake flour:   it gives the final product a more refined texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Hearts of Palm Pie

receita em portugues na proxima pagina…..

CANTINHO BRASILEIRO

MINI-SOUFFLE DE QUEIJO DE CABRA
(Michael Bauer)

manteiga para untar ramekins, mais 3 colheres de sopa
1 xícara de farinha de rosca
Três colheres de sopa de farinha especial para bolos
1 xícara de leite, aquecido ligeiramente no microondas
250 g de queijo de cabra, dividido
3 gemas de ovos
sal e pimenta
1 xícara de claras de ovos (cerca de 7 ovos grandes)

Aqueça o forno a 215 C

Unte 8 tigelinhas (de cerca de 3/4 de xicara de tamanho) com manteiga e cubra ligeiramente com farinha de rosca.  Reserve o restante da farinha.

Derreta a manteiga numa panela, adicione a farinha de bolo e cozinhe, mexendo, por 20 segundos. Adicione o leite, cozinhe mexendo até engrossar, 1 a 2 minutos. Esmigalhe cerca de 3/4 do queijo de cabra   em uma tigela grande, adicione o molho branco feito anteriormente e misture bem. Acrescente as gemas, uma de cada vez, misture bem e tempere com sal e pimenta.

Bata as claras à mão ou com uma batedeira até formar picos firmes. Delicadamente misture metade das claras na mistura de queijo.  Em seguida, adicione o restante das claras, incorporando sem deixar que perca o volume.  Encha metade das tigelinhas com a mistura, coloque um pouco de queijo de cabra em cima, e preencha  até o topo com o restante da mistura de suflê. Polvilhe o topo com farinha de rosca.

Coloque as tigelinhas em uma assadeira grande, e despeje agua fervendo (ou bem quente) ate’ a metade da altura dos recipientes.  Asse no centro do forno até dourar, aproximadamente 25 minutos. Retire do forno, aguarde 15 minutos e desenforme  cuidadosamente, passando uma faca nas bordas e invertendo as tigelinhas sobre um prato.  Transfira-os para uma assadeira. Eles podem ser mantidos em temperatura ambiente por até 6 horas.

Quando você está pronto para servir,  assar em um forno bem quente até dourar, 5-7 minutos.