How To Make Cauliflower Cheese Souffle

This is the only unsinkable soufflé recipe I know, so it’s the only one I ever make. If you like you can add thinly sliced courgettes, onions or mushrooms – or all three – to the cauliflower to make it more of a main course in its own right, or just serve it as a side dish with a meaty dinner and potatoes. It’s lighter than regular cauliflower cheese and looks good too, so give it a go.

1. Step 1:

   Cut the cauliflower into florets and simmer gently in a saucepan of boiling water (or steam) for a few minutes until slightly softened but nowhere near mushy. Transfer the cauliflower to a soufflé dish and preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 (180°C).

2. Step 2:

   Melt the butter or margarine in a saucepan and stir in the flour. (There’s a bit more flour to margarine than usual in this recipe so the paste will be very thick at this stage; you really should use a whisk to get rid of any lumps when you add the milk.)

3. Step 3:

   Add the milk and grated Cheddar cheese together and whisk continuously with a small or medium-sized balloon whisk for a few minutes until you have a thick, smooth sauce.

4. Step 4:

   Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the egg yolks into the cheese sauce.

5. Step 5:

   Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff then thoroughly fold into the cheese sauce with a large metal spoon and pour the sauce over the cauliflower in the soufflé dish.

6. Step 6:

   Sprinkle the finely grated Parmesan cheese over the surface and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until the soufflé is ever so slightly risen and golden on top.