Chevre Souffle

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YOUR HOST STARTED MAKING souffle during Covid. Jacques Pepin said his Mom used to make it this way. I doubt that – I bet Jacques made this recipe: he always finds ways to cut corners. That’s ok. It’s not the full-on Trad Souffle. Let’s call his the Novus Ordo Souffle. The only difference in my recipe is the addition of chevre. (Reform of the reform?) No one will die. This makes two single-serving ramekins as a main course, or four smaller ramekins if you want this to just be a nice starter. Might even make six or eight tiny ones, but ew. This is savory – not sweet, although one day I may play with this recipe and see if I can make it into chocolate.

This is the most SIMPLE of all possible recipes!

1. Preheat oven to 380.
2. Coat ramekins with butter and then use grated parmesan over the butter (as you would flour over butter in a cake recipe).
3. In a mixing bowl combine cream cheese, chevre, and the egg. You can use a hand blender if you want, but I find a fork is easy enough. These must be combined very thoroughly. You’re making a savory cheesecake batter.
4. Pour or scoop the batter into the ramekins. You want them about 3/4 full.
5. Set them on a pan (I use a rack set in a pan) and set them in the oven.
6. All ovens vary. Mine needs 35 mins to do this. You want them to rise above the edge of the ramekin and get brown. Like this:

I think you can play with them – maybe an herbed chevre? I’ve even made it with jalapeno cream cheese! I will say it must be a whipped cream cheese: something about that process works for this recipe and no amount of whipping at home will make up for it (I’ve tried).

Serve them in the ramekins. They do tend to deflate after a few mins and they will come out of the ramekins easily. But at that point it’s a nice, dense, cheese cake. Nothing wrong with this, but if you want to impress folks with the Housewifey Nightmare that is a Souffle, serve it fast! There is a proverb: the souffle does not wait for you – you wait for the souffle. Sit everyone around the table, pour out the wine, and wait until everything is impressive and serve at that moment.

Save one for yourself tomorrow. It’s a great breakfast. In the Spirit of Souffle…