Twice-Baked Mature Cheddar & Gruyère Soufflés with Walnut, Pear and Chicory Salad

⏱ 95 min · Serves 6

The dinner party trick every cook should own: airy cheese soufflés baked once in dariole moulds, turned out, then flooded with cream and blasted again until puffed, bronzed and molten. Because the drama happens on your timetable, not theirs. A sharp walnut, pear and chicory salad cuts straight through the richness.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 19.0g protein · 18.0g carbs · 52.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300ml whole milk
• 1 small onion, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns
• 50g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 3 tbsp fine dried breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan, for lining
• 50g plain flour
• 1 tsp English mustard powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 90g mature Cheddar, finely grated
• 60g Gruyère, finely grated
• Fine sea salt and white pepper
• 300ml double cream
• 40g Parmesan, finely grated
• 2 heads chicory (red and white), leaves separated
• 80g watercress or lamb's lettuce
• 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
• 75g walnut halves, toasted
• 1 tbsp walnut oil
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp runny honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C fan/200C. Butter 6 x 175ml dariole moulds or ramekins generously, going upwards with the brush, and coat with breadcrumbs or Parmesan. Sit them in a deep roasting tin.
2. Warm the milk with the onion, bay and peppercorns until steaming, then leave 10 minutes to infuse and strain.
3. Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour, mustard powder and cayenne, and cook 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the warm milk to a very thick, smooth sauce. Cook 3 minutes, then cool 5 minutes.
4. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then the Cheddar and Gruyère. Season well with salt and white pepper — it should taste slightly too strong.
5. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Stir a third into the cheese base to loosen, then fold in the rest lightly, keeping the air.
6. Divide between the moulds. Pour boiling water into the tin to come halfway up and bake 20-22 minutes until risen and just set. Cool in the moulds 10 minutes — they will sink, which is exactly right. Run a knife round and turn out onto a lined tray. (Can be chilled up to 2 days.)
7. To finish, heat oven to 190C fan/210C. Sit the soufflés upside down in a buttered baking dish, spoon over the cream and scatter with Parmesan. Bake 15-18 minutes until puffed, bubbling and deep gold.
8. Whisk the walnut oil, olive oil, vinegar, honey and Dijon with salt and pepper. Toss with the chicory, watercress, pear and walnuts just before serving.
9. Lift each soufflé onto a warm plate, spoon over the pan cream and serve at once with the salad alongside.