Recipes

Ingredients
40g butter
40g plain flour
250ml semi-skimmed milk
100g mature Cheddar, grated
pinch of chilli powder
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
4 eggs, separated
salt and freshly ground pepper
small sprigs of fresh thyme to garnish
Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (gas 5). Generously grease eight 250ml soufflé dishes and place them on a baking tray.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir to blend for 1 minute. Add the milk gradually and bring to the boil, stirring all the time until thickened. Add the grated cheese, chilli powder, thyme and a generous grinding of pepper. Stir and leave to cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Blend the egg yolks into the cheese sauce, two at a time.
4. Sprinkle the egg whites with a pinch of salt and whisk until stiff peaks form. Whisk one quarter of the egg whites into the sauce, then gently fold in the remainder, using a large metal spoon.
5. Divide the mixture among the dishes and bake for 15 minutes until risen and golden. Serve at once, garnished with fresh thyme.