Individual Gruyere Souffles
- 6 large eggs
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
- 18 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 13 pound Gruyere or Swiss cheese cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons grated Gruyere cheese
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Place four 1/2-cup souffle dishes into the refrigerator to chill.
- Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in larger bowl.
- With one tablespoon of the butter, butter the bottom and sides of each souffle dish, paying special attention to the sides.
- Place in refrigerator.
- Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk.
- Blend well, but do not brown the flour.
- Add the milk, stirring rapidly with the whisk, add the salt and pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
- Blend the cornstarch and water and add to the bubbling sauce.
- Stir and cook for about two minutes.
- Add the yolks, stirring vigorously.
- Cook, stirring, for about a minute.
- Spoon and scrape the mixture into large mixing bowl.
- Add the cubed Gruyere, blend well with a wire whisk.
- Set aside.
- Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl, preferably copper.
- With a flexible balloon-shaped wire whisk or a hand beater, beat them until stiff and thick.
- Add half of the whites to the souffle mixture and mix thoroughly.
- Add the remaining whites, folding them in quickly but gently with a rubber spatula.
- Spoon and scrape even amounts of the mixture into each souffle dish.
- The mixture should fit inside the dish to about a quarter-inch from the top of the dish.
- With your thumb, create a channel around the periphery of the dish to allow for expansion.
- Sprinkle the top with the grated gruyere.
- Place the dish on a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
eggs, butter, flour, milk, salt, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, cornstarch, water, gruyere, gruyere cheese
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12038 (may not work)