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Recipe: Bacon Topped Cheese Soufflé

Our final winner in the Irving Farms Bacon Day recipe contest was Michelle – who submitted a recipe that had me intimidated: the cheese soufflé. It was time to dust off the ramekins that my mom gave me and try something new. I know that bacon, cheese and egg is a great combination so after buttering my ramekins and lining them with parmesan cheese I followed this simple step-by-step recipe. Topped with bacon, this Swiss cheese soufflé was absolutely worth the effort.

Bacon Topped Cheese Soufflé

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup grated Emmental cheese 
• 2 tablespoons minced rosemary
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 3 large eggs, room temperature, whites and yolks separated
• 2 slices of cooked bacon, sliced in half

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter four 1-cup ramekins, coat with Parmesan, and refrigerate.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Add milk, whisking until thickened, 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in Emmental, minced rosemary, salt and pepper. Whisk in egg yolks.
3. Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into cheese mixture in thirds.
4. Divide between ramekins. Using a cake pan or casserole dish, place in ramekins in a baking tray filled with enough hot water to reach about halfway up the side of the dish. Bake until puffed, approximately 20 minutes. Top with bacon slices and serve immediately.