Cheese Souffle

This was the first souffle I ever made and the first souffle I ever tasted. Since I have become big fan. This  recipe is really easy to follow and produces tasty results.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter 
1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
6 eggs (separated into 4 yolks and 6 whites)
200ml milk 
170g grated gruyere or any cheese will do. 
50g finely grated parmesan
2 tbsp dijon mustard
salt

Get lots of bowls out before you start, you'll need them!!!

Method:

•  Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Butter a large (1.8l) ovenproof souffle dish and dust with flour
•  Separate the eggs; whites into a large bowl, yolks into small one
• On a medium-high heat, melt the butter in a large saucepan; add the flour with either wooden fork or small whisk and blend, stirring all the time for two minutes so that the mix doesn’t form lumps. It should make an elastic goop.
• Add the milk and continue to stir or whisk for about four minutes until the mixture forms a dense creamy mass – the bechamel
• Using a flexible rubber spatula or baking spoon, fold the cheese-mustard mix into the egg whites (or vice versa, it really doesn’t matter). What does matter is that you fold, not beat or aggressively stir. It’s always much better to undermix, it's about putting air into the mixture.
• When the mixture is nicely married, pour into buttered, flour-dusted souffle dish. It should fill all but 1cm below the lip. With a knife cut a circle in the top of the mix – to create a crown – and sprinkle the finely grated parmesan.

Do not leave to stand before cooking, you'll lose air and it won't rise as much!!!

• Set the souffle dish in the oven and turn the heat down immediately to 175C
• Bake for 25 minutes. Test doneness with a clean knife. It won’t collapse. If skewer comes away cleanly and, depending on whether you want a runny centre or a drier souffle, stop right there or cook for another four minutes.

Best served with a mixed leaf salad.