Twice Baked Cheddar and Cumin Soufflés

Every now and then you come across a recipe which you know you’ll make time and time again. This is one of those recipes.

I’ve never had twice baked soufflés before. In fact I’ve not had many soufflés at all before as I always choose something cake based for dessert in restaurants. Also soufflés have a notoriously bad press for being difficult and fiddly to make. These are the complete opposite. They are very easy and very, very cheesy.

Barber's 1833 Vintage Cheddar Twice Baked Souffles

Barber’s 1833 Vintage Cheddar Twice Baked Soufflés

You’ll need

6 ramekins
225ml whole milk
6 tsp cumin seeds
1 bay leaf
40g butter plus extra for greasing ramekins
40g plain flour
150g cheddar – I used Barber’s 1833 Vintage Reserve Cheddar
3 large eggs
100ml double cream
A cucumber for side salad (optional)

To make them

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease the ramekins with butter
Toast the cumin seeds and set 2tsp aside to cool. Grind the rest to a coarse powder in a pestle and mortar.
Grate the cheddar and set aside.
Put the milk and 2 tsp of the cumin seeds into a pan and slowly bring to the boil. Then strain into a jug.
Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan and add the flour. Cook for about 1-2 minutes stirring continuously.
Take this off the heat and gradually little by little stir in the milk.
Pop this back on a low flame and gradually add all except 3 tbsp of the grated cheese and stir in til melted.
Separate the eggs and stir in the yolks along with the ground cumin. It will be a thick choux pastry like texture.
Take the pan off the heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile whisk the egg whites til soft peaks form and then gently fold these into the cheesy mixture a little at a time.
Pop a full kettle on to boil.
Divide the soufflé mixture between your ramekins and then place them into a deep baking tray.
Feel the baking tray with boiling water so that the water comes two thirds of the way up the ramekins.
Bake for 15-20 minutes. The soufflés should be well risen and firm.
Take them out of the oven and the water bath and leave to cool.
When you are ready to eat them, preheat the oven to 200C.
Run a knife around the edges of the soufflés, which incidentally might have sunk which is perfectly fine.
Turn them all out into an ovenproof dish, pour over the cream and then sprinkle over 3tbsp of grated cheddar that you set aside (and didn’t nibble on!). Sprinkle over a few more cumin seeds.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown on top.