Blue Cheese Soufflé

Brought to you by:

Ocado

8 serving

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Serves: 8

This blue cheese soufflé will ensure that you start your festive feast off on the right foot. It’s a truly decadent Christmas starter that your guests will rave about long after the meal is over. The richness of the blue cheese is cut through by dollops of sweet, sticky orange and ginger jam. You can use any other fruity jam or marmalade you prefer – citrus works best as it has a sour edge that complements the punchy cheese.

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter
30g breadcrumbs
30g plain flour
1 pinch English mustard powder
1 cayenne pepper
300ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature
120g stilton
4 thyme sprigs, leaves only, plus extra to serve
4 eggs, separated
40g orange and ginger preserve, warmed slightly

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan/gas 8 and place a flat baking tray in the oven to heat up.

Step 2

Melt 20g of the butter and, using a pastry brush, brush it in upward strokes around the inside and base of each ramekin. Sprinkle all over the inside of each ramekin with the breadcrumbs, turning to fully coat and shaking out any excess crumbs.

Step 3

In a pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 30g butter, then add the flour, mustard powder and cayenne and whisk until smooth. Cook for 1 min or until the roux turns lightly golden, then remove from the heat and gradually pour in the milk, whisking well after each addition to form a smooth sauce.

Step 4

Return the pan to the heat and whisk the sauce as it comes to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 mins until thickened. Remove from the heat, crumble in the stilton and stir until melted. Add the thyme and stir to combine, then transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool for 5 mins. Once cooled, stir in the egg yolks by hand and season generously with salt and coarse ground black pepper.

Step 5

In a large bowl, using electric beaters (or a standing mixer), whisk the egg whites until medium-stiff peaks form. Then, using a large metal spoon, fold a spoonful of the whites into the cheese mixture to loosen it, then quickly and lightly fold in the remaining whites, keeping in as much volume as possible.

Step 6

Fill the prepared ramekins generously with the soufflé mixture, then run the tip of a cutlery knife around the edge of each ramekin to loosen. Doing so allows the soufflés to rise evenly.

Step 7

Transfer the ramekins to the hot baking tray in the oven and bake for 8-10 mins until risen but with a slight wobble in the centre remaining. Spoon a little warmed jam over the top of each souffle and sprinkle with the extra thyme leaves, then serve immediately with a few dressed rocket leaves, if you like.