French Cheese Soufflé

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F (180°C fan-forced). The oven needs to be properly hot to help the soufflés rise.

Step 2: Brush the insides of 4 ramekins, each 325 ml / 1 1/3 cups, generously with all the melted butter. Set them on a baking tray. There’s no need to brush upwards.

Step 3: Put the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm until steaming but not boiling, then set aside.

Step 4: While the milk heats, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk gently; the mixture will be thick and pasty at first. Cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes, until smooth and glossy. Whisk into the corners of the pan and don’t let the mixture brown. Lower the heat if it is cooking too fast.

Step 5: Add one-third of the hot milk to the roux while whisking vigorously; it will thicken quickly. Add half of the remaining milk and whisk until smooth, then add the rest of the milk with the salt and pepper. Whisk for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until thickened and smooth. Draw a spatula through the middle of the sauce: the path should hold briefly before slowly sinking back.

Step 6: Turn off the heat and whisk in the egg yolks one at a time until fully combined. Turn the heat back to medium and whisk in the grated Gruyère until melted. Scrape down the sides, cover with a lid and set aside.

Step 7: Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, then on high for 30 seconds, until firm peaks form.

Tip: Starting slowly helps the whites build a stable structure.

Step 8: Quickly whisk the Mornay sauce to smooth it. Add one-quarter of the egg whites and whisk them in to loosen the sauce. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in one-third of the remaining whites until mostly incorporated. Use slow, sweeping motions from the bottom of the pot to keep as much air in as possible. Repeat twice with the rest of the egg whites. A few lumps are fine.

Step 9: Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins, filling each to about 1 cm / 0.4 inches below the rim. Smooth the tops with the back of a teaspoon dipped in water, removing any large bumps. Run your thumb around the inside rim of each ramekin to clean it and give the soufflé a clean edge to rise against.

Step 10: Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, until tall and golden. Do not open the oven door while they bake. The soufflés should jiggle slightly when you shake a ramekin.

Step 11: Serve the soufflés straight away, as soon as they come out of the oven.