Fluffy Cheese Souffle

Sometimes you just have to face your fears.  I am sure that sounds kind of silly on a cooking blog, but let me explain.  Whilst I have been working for years to hone my cooking skills, there are still a few dishes that I have been afraid to try.  Sometimes it is due to the level of difficulty or maybe it is in response to unknown ingredients.  Whatever the reason, I have decided that I will no longer live in fear of trying something new and difficult.  So in the spirit of bravery, I looked fear in the eyes and made my very first souffle.  After scouring the Internet for just the right recipe, I came upon this treasure by Alton Brown on foodnetwork.com.  The only change I made was to add bacon on top.  Everything is better with bacon, right?  In the end it turned out super fluffy and flavorful.  So if you are feeling brave too, give this one a try, and let me know how it turned out!

In the spirit of bravery, I don't love how this pic turned out,
but it is the only one I have.

Ingredients:

• Butter, room temp for greasing souffle
• 2 tbl grated Parmesan
• 3 tbl butter
• 3 tbl flour
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cups hot milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 oz sharp cheddar
• 5 egg whites plus 1tbl water
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar 

Directions:

Use room temperature butter to grease an 8-inch souffle mold. Add the grated Parmesan and roll around the mold to cover the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place into the freezer for 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, heat the butter. Allow all of the water to cook out.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, dry mustard, garlic powder, and kosher salt. Whisk this mixture into the melted butter. Cook for 2 minutes.

Whisk in the hot milk and turn the heat to high. Once the mixture reaches a boil, remove from the heat.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks to a creamy consistency. Temper the yolks into the milk mixture, constantly whisking. Remove from the heat and add the cheese. Whisk until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until glossy and firm. Add 1/4 of the mixture to the base. Continue to add the whites by thirds, folding very gently.

Pour the mixture into the souffle. Fill the souffle to 1/2-inch from the top. Place on an aluminum pie pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/cheese-souffle-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback