Say Cheese for Souffle

I can't tell you how much fun I'm having making cheese dish after cheese dish every week. It's such a fun challenge and tasty, too. It's all in the name of research, of course! Research for all of our books is so important. Yes, the characters and the mystery are key, but the research, like a good recipe, holds the whole book together.

This week I decided to try my hand at a cheese souffle. Now, a souffle is not "easy," but I

decided not to be frightened. After all, I've made Angel Food Cakes and all sorts of things with whipped egg whites. The trick is to make sure they're stiff when folding into the batter.

In my recent newsletter, I had a contest where fans sent in the name of their favorite cheeses. [The next newsletter contest starts this week. Sign up if you want to participate.]

Anyway, Edith from Ipswich won the cheese giveaway. She suggested a Gouda that she'd bought at Trader Joe's. In honor of my contest winner, I decided to make the souffle--typically made with Cheddar or Parmessan--with Gouda. Not just any Gouda. I bought a five-year Gouda at Whole Foods made by Uniekaas. My cheese monger at Whole Foods, Ilbra [what a doll!], shared a taste just to whet my appetite. It was rich with flavors of honey and carmel and a crystallization that popped in my mouth. Yum.

And now, on to the recipe. If I might say so myself, the end result was beautiful and delish!

CHEESE SOUFFLE

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons flour1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) butter

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/3 cups milk, hot

4 large egg yolks

6 ounces Gouda, grated

5 egg whites plus 1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon cream of tartar (or you may use baking powder)

Directions:

Use room temperature 1 tablespoon of butter to grease an eight-inch soufflé mold. Add the grated Parmesan and coat the butter with it. Set in the freezer for five minutes [to make the cheese stick to the butter.]

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the other 3 tablespoons of butter.

Add the hot milk to the mixture and turn the heat to high. When it starts to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.In a separate bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, salt. Whisk the mixture into the melted butter.

In another bowl, beat the egg yolks. Slowly…mix the eggs into the milk mixture, stirring constantly. Add the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tartar or baking powder until stiff. Fold into the hot milk/cheese mixture by thirds. Gentle, gentle. When incorporated, pour the mixture into the soufflé dish.

Place on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.

Note: This soufflé will sink the moment it’s served. It’s a shame, but that’s the way it goes.

If you want to check out my website and learn more about the newsletter and future contests, click this link: Avery Aames.

Also, don't forget, MLK has regular contests. This month:

Riley's April Contest

The first book in the Memphis Barbeque series, Delicious and Suspicious, will be released July 6. To celebrate its upcoming release, Riley is throwing a giveaway! :) Are you interested in winning Williams-Sonoma’s Ultimate Grilling Rub Collection? It’s easy enter! Just send an email to MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com with “Contest” in the subject line.

Really, really want to up your chances? You’ll get one extra entry if you follow us on Twitter, one extra if you subscribe to our posts (in the right hand sidebar under “Subscribe”), and one extra for becoming a follower (by clicking the “follow” button in the right hand column under our book covers and blog roll.) Just send us an extra email at MysteryLoversKitchen@gmail.com and let us know what you’ve signed up for. If you’re already a follower or subscriber, let us know that, too!