Fromage Blanc Souffle Food

SOUFFLé AU FROMAGE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Butter the inside of a 6 cup souffle mold and sprinkle it with 1 Tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. .
• In a heavy saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, slowly.
• Stir in 3 tablespoons of flour with a wooden spoon and cook over moderate heat until butter and flour foam together for 2 minutes without browning.
• Remove from heat; when the mixture has stopped bubbling, pour in 1 cup of milk, that's been heated just to boiling, all at once.
• Beat vigorously with a whip until blended.
• Beat in 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt, 1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Return over moderately high heat and boil, stirring with the whip, for 1 minute. Sauce will be very thick.
• Remove the sauce from the heat.
• If you haven't done so already, immediately start to separate 5 eggs.
• Drop the whites into a bowl, add 4 yolks into the center of the hot sauce and beat in well, one at a time.
• Note, ONLY 4 YOLKS in the sauce, but save 5 WHITES! Adjust seasonings at this point.
• Add your egg whites to a clean mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and beat until stiff.
• Stir a big spoonful of the beaten whites into the sauce.
• Stir in 1 cup (minus 1 tablespoon) of grated Swiss cheese.
• Delicately fold in the rest of the egg whites. Be careful not to over-fold! This is a very important step!
• Turn the souffle mixture into the prepared mold, which should be almost 3/4 full. Tap bottom of mold lightly on the table, and smooth the surface of the souffle with the flat of a knife.
• Sprinkle the reserved tablespoon of Swiss cheese on top.
• Set on a rack in the middle of a preheated 400 degree oven and immediately turn the heat down to 375 (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR FOR 20 MINUTES!).
• In 25-30 minutes the souffle will have puffed about 2 inches over the rim of the mold, and the top will be nicely browned.
• Bake 4-5 more minutes to firm it up, then serve at once.
• A well baked souffle will stay puffed for about 5 minutes in the turned off hot oven. As it cools, it begins to sink. Therefore, there should be no lingering when a souffle is to be eaten.
• To serve a souffle, puncture the top lightly with a serving spoon and fork--held vertically--and spread it apart for each serving!
• Bon Appetite!

HERBED FROMAGE BLANC

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine the fromage blanc, sour cream, scallions, dill, chives, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour (or overnight) for the flavors to blend. Serve in a small bowl surrounded by crackers and/or fresh vegetables like crudites.

HOMEMADE FROMAGE BLANC

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan, add the milk and the cream for a richer fromage blanc. In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and lemon juice and stir to combine well. Add the buttermilk-lemon juice mixture to the milk and begin to heat the milk, over low heat and very slowly, to 175 degrees F. While the milk is heating, stir only twice, making 2 strokes each time, with a heat-proof spatula or other flat utensil. Check the temperature often. As soon as the temperature reaches 175 degrees F, remove the pot from the heat and allow to sit, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
• Line a large colander with 2 layers of fine cheesecloth and set over a large bowl. Gently ladle the curds and whey into the colander and allow to drain until the drips of whey slows, about 2 minutes. Tie the corners of the cheesecloth together to form a hanging pouch, and hang pouch over a bowl and allow to drain until the cheese reaches the desired consistency.
• Serve as is, with preserves, honey or fresh fruit, or add salt or fresh herbs, to taste, and enjoy as a savory appetizer. If a rich cheese is desired, spoon or pour a bit of heavy cream over the top before serving. Also, if a very smooth product is desired, beat the cheese briefly with an electric mixer before serving.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 week. If cheese is marinated in oil with fresh herbs, it will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

FROMAGE BLANC SOUFFLE

Steps:

• 1. Liberally butter a shallow 2-quart (2-L) baking dish, with sides that are at least 2 1/2 inches (8 cm) high. Sprinkle a few spoonfuls of sugar inside,tilt the dish to coat the bottom and sides, then tip out any excess.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• 3. Using a rubber spatula or an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, mash the very soft butter with the lemon zest and cornstarch until completely smooth. Beat in the egg yolks until smooth, then whisk in the fromage blanc.
• 4. With an electric mixer or by hand, whisk the egg whites with the salt in a clean, dry bowl (not plastic) until frothy. Increase the speed and beat until the whites begin to mound and hold their shape. While whipping, gradually add 10 tablespoons of the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once you've added all the sugar, beat until stiff.
• 5. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the fromage blanc mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until incorporated. It's okay to have some tiny bits of white; that's preferable to overfolding the batter.
• 6. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish, gently smooth the top, and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.
• 7. Bake on a middle rack (or slightly higher, if possible) for 30 minutes, until the top is browned and the soufflé is just set but still very jiggly in the center if you nudge it. Depending on your oven, this may take slightly less or more time. Rather than going by strict baking times, touch the center to tell when it's done. If you like your soufflé creamy in the middle, the center should feel rather soft, like runny pudding.
• If you like it more firm, you can bake it until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out pretty clean.

COMTé CHEESE SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Using a pastry brush, thoroughly grease a 25-30cm oval or round earthenware dish with a thin, even layer of butter. Coat with the breadcrumbs, shaking out the excess, then set the dish aside. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and place a baking tray on the middle shelf to heat up.
• To prepare the soufflé base, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour, whisk until smooth and cook to a nutty blond roux. Lower the heat, then gradually add the warm milk, little by little, whisking to keep the consistency smooth. Add the cheese and mustard, and continue to cook, stirring from time to time, for 3-5 mins. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Add the egg yolks and stir until the mixture is silky and smooth. Season with white pepper (see tip) and keep warm. Can be made ahead up to this point (see tip).
• In a large, clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice to medium peaks.
• Transfer the warm soufflé base to a large bowl and briefly whisk in a third of the whipped egg whites to lighten the base. Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula or large metal spoon, delicately cutting and lifting the mixture to ensure minimum loss of volume and lightness. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Pour the soufflé mixture into the prepared dish so it is three-quarters full.
• Slide the dish onto the hot baking tray and bake for 20 mins. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce.
• Bring the cream to the boil and add the cheese and some freshly ground white pepper, stirring continuously. Once the cheese has melted, remove from the heat and taste for seasoning. Add a dash of kirsch (if using), then pour the sauce into a warmed small jug.
• Sprinkle the grated cheese over the soufflé and bake for a further 5 mins. Serve immediately, placing the soufflé and sauce in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves.