{two recipes} Savory Cheese and Sour Cream Souffles, Two Ways

Today was a really weird day. But that’s a long story. Suffice it to say, around 4 PM on a work day I found myself… making two kinds of cheese and sour cream souffles? Really? Yes, really.

The only thing that’s more fun than one kind of cheese souffle on a Wednesday afternoon is TWO kinds of cheese souffle on a Wednesday afternoon. Souffle number one: Sharp cheddar accented with Dijon mustard and lots of cracked black pepper. This is terrific paired with a simple salad, like pea shoots or microgreens tossed with a bit of lemon juice and oil.

Souffle number deux: Gorgonzola souffle with a light honey drizzle. Have you ever had a cheese plate with a pungent blue cheese and some honey on the side? It’s a fantastic combination that inspired this souffle. For a double dose of decadence, you can serve it with a pile of thinly sliced salami.

Souffles are one of those things that people are afraid to make, because they think something will go wrong. Here is a secret: as long as you know how to whip and fold egg whites, a souffle is no magical feat! You, too, can make them in a snap. It’s true, they should be served fresh out of the oven or they will fall. But you can have every bit prepared and in the fridge, and the dishes floured and ready to go, hours before it’s time to do the whipped egg white part. Since these cook for about 35 minutes, you can pull them off for a dinner party without too much fuss. Adding sour cream makes them a little lighter and a little custardy all at the same time. You can use lowfat sour cream in the souffle if you like; it won’t really affect the final product.

So, after the taste test–who is the winner? Me. Definitely me.

Gorgonzola Souffles with Honey Drizzle

makes 10-12 individual souffles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour (plus more for dusting the molds)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 6 eggs
• 6 oz Gorgonzola cheese, rind removed, crumbled (can substitute another kind of blue cheese)
• large pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Butter (or Pam) and flour 10-12 small ramekins. Put on a baking sheet.
• Separate eggs.
• Combine 1/2 cup flour with sour cream and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment until combined. Add egg yolks one at a time, whipping after each addition. Add cheese, cayenne pepper, and salt and mix to combine fully.
• In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with a whisk attachment until they make firm, shiny peaks.
• Fold cheese mixture and whites together gently, until no streaks remain. Gently fill ramekins to the top.
• Bake 30-35 minutes, until tops are golden brown and raised. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a drizzle of honey on top or on the side.

Sharp Cheddar and Dijon Souffles

makes 10-12 individual souffles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup flour (plus more for dusting the molds)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 Tblsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp salt
• about 20 grinds of a pepper grinder

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Butter (or Pam) and flour 10-12 small ramekins. Put on a baking sheet.
• Separate eggs.
• Combine 1/2 cup flour with sour cream and mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment until combined. Add egg yolks one at a time, whipping after each addition. Add cheese, Dijon mustard, salt, and cracked pepper and mix to combine fully.
• In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with a whisk attachment until they make firm, shiny peaks.
• Fold cheese mixture and whites together gently, until no streaks remain. Gently fill ramekins to the top.
• Bake 30-35 minutes, until tops are golden brown and raised. Remove from oven and serve immediately.