There are few culinary moments more satisfying than nervously opening the oven door to find that your soufflés have risen beautifully. Soufflé is one of those classic dishes shrouded in myth and wonder – we’ve all heard the horror stories of them turning into soup or flat pucks of burnt egg, meaning many assume they’re a dish best left to the professionals. In fact, they’re pretty simple to create, requiring just a handful of ingredients. The key is following the recipe to the letter, and treating the mixture carefully before it goes into the oven.
Sweet soufflés are all well and good, but they’re a bit of a faff to prepare unless everyone around the table is willing to wait a bit whilst you whip up the mixture after the main course – soufflés can’t really be made in advance. Savoury soufflés, on the other hand, are perfect starters, as they can kick a dinner off in serious style without you having to excuse yourself into the kitchen mid-meal. And of all the ingredients you can throw into a soufflé, cheese – in particular Le Gruyère AOP – is the best.