Jacques Pepin’s Foolproof Cheese Soufflé

Cook Time 50 minutes

Servings 4-6

Ingredients

60g butter, plus extra for greasing

60g plain flour

500ml milk

½ tsp nutmeg

5 eggs

2 cups grated gruyere cheese

3 tablespoons of parmesan

½ bunch of chives, finely chopped

Salt & pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Generously butter a 22cm pan.

To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium, add the flour and stir thoroughly to form a smooth paste (roux). Whisk in a quarter of the milk to ensure there are no lumps. Pour in the rest of the milk and whisk over medium–high heat for 3–4 minutes or until the sauce becomes very thick.

Take off the heat and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cool.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk together.

Now add the cheese to the béchamel (reserving a small handful of Gruyere and a tablespoon parmesan), followed by the chives and eggs. Fold through and then pour into a 22cm pan, sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until puffy and well browned on top.

Remove and serve immediately.