Make-in-Advance Cheese Soufflés

An ingenious idea - much easier to make than a traditional soufflé.

Vegetarian. Hands-on time: 10 mins. Total time: 35 mins.

Contributed by Mike Lewis (March 2003).

This is a great idea for a dinner party or a pot-luck supper. You can make these delectable soufflés ahead of time and easily re-bake them just before serving. They will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator, and can also be frozen. With their lovely light texture and crispy golden coating, they are sure to be a hit.

It is best to make the soufflés individually, each in its own baking tin, ramekin or oven-proof cup. The quantities given here will make six soufflés.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup (2 oz, 50 g) of soft cheese (cream cheese or curd cheese)
• 3 cups (6 oz, 175 g) hard cheese (Gruyère is a good choice, but cheddar would be fine)
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup (5 fl oz, 150 ml) light (single) cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. vegetarian Parmesan, finely grated

Method

Oven: Pre-heat to 400F (200C)

Mix the soft and hard cheeses, egg yolks, cream and seasoning. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they stand up in soft peaks. Add the egg whites to the cheese mixture and fold together until they are completely combined.

Divide the mixture into six oiled cups or ramekins. Stand these in a roasting tin. Pour hot water into the tin until it comes about half-way up the sides of the individual dishes. Put the tin into the oven, and bake for about 15 - 20 minutes. They will be done when they are well risen and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Leave the soufflés to cool in their containers. Don't worry if they shrink.

When you are ready to serve the soufflés, remove them from their containers and place them in a shallow oven-proof dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan over them. Bake at 425F (220C) for about 15 minutes or until they have risen and are golden brown.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.