Cheese soufflé: it rises, it holds, and you don't open the door
The soufflé has a reputation for being temperamental. In fact, it follows simple rules: a thick base, firm egg whites, a well-prepared dish and an oven you absolutely must not open. Follow these steps and it will rise proudly above the dish.
- 4 servings, 25 min preparation
- Dish buttered from bottom to top and lined
- Oven natural convection 200 °C, with the base heat good and hot
- 25 min without opening the door, then straight to the table
Appliance and settingHob for the béchamel, then oven at 200 °C on natural convection
Ingredients
Soufflé, a question of method
A soufflé is a cheese béchamel lightened with whisked egg whites. In the oven, the air trapped in the whites expands and pushes the mixture upwards. For it to work, you need firm whites, folded in gently, and a stable oven to be left alone while it bakes. The rest is organisation.
The steps
- Prepare the dish. Brush an 18 cm soufflé dish (or 4 ramekins) with butter, from the bottom up, right up to the rim. Dust with parmesan or breadcrumbs, turn the dish and tip out the excess. Chill until needed.
- Preheat. Place the shelf on level 1 (at the bottom of the oven) and preheat to 200 °C on natural convection (top and bottom heat, no fan) for at least 15 minutes.
- The thick béchamel. In a saucepan, on level 5 (out of 9), melt the butter, add the flour and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the cold milk, whisking. Let it thicken for 3 to 4 minutes on level 4: the sauce should be very thick, almost like a purée.
- The cheese and yolks. Off the heat, add the cheese, nutmeg, pepper and chilli. Separate the whites from the yolks and add the 4 yolks one at a time. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- The whites. In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the 5 whites with the pinch of salt. They're ready when they form a firm peak on the whisk but still look glossy.
- Combining. Stir a quarter of the whites into the cheese base to loosen it. Then add the rest of the whites and fold in gently with a spatula, lifting the mixture from the bottom up. Stop as soon as no streaks of white remain.
- Fill. Pour into the dish up to 1 cm from the rim. Smooth the top and run your thumb around the inside edge to make a small groove: the soufflé will rise straight, like a top hat.
- Bake without opening the door. Put it in on level 1: 25 minutes for a large dish, 12 to 15 minutes for ramekins. Don't touch the door; keep an eye on it through the glass with the oven light.
- Serve immediately. The soufflé is well risen and golden, with a slight wobble in the centre. To the table straight away.
Appliance settings
| Step | Appliance and mode | Setting | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Béchamel | Induction hob | Level 5, then 4 | 5 min |
| Preheating | Oven, conventional heat | 200 °C, shelf on level 1 | 15 min minimum |
| Large soufflé (18 cm) | Oven, conventional heat | 200 °C, shelf on level 1 | 25 min, door closed |
| Soufflés in ramekins | Oven, conventional heat | 200 °C, shelf on level 1 | 12 to 15 min, door closed |
| Without natural convection | Oven, fan-assisted | 180 °C, shelf level 1 | 25 to 28 min (large dish) |
The low shelf brings heat from the base under the dish: that's what pushes the soufflé upwards. Don't switch on rapid preheat during baking: on many ovens it activates the fan and grill.
Variations
- With ham : 80 g diced cooked ham, added with the cheese.
- With chicons (Belgian endive) : 2 chicons, thinly sliced, braised in butter and well drained, added to the base. A nod to our chicory au gratin.
- With goat's cheese and herbs : half fresh goat's cheese, half comté, with finely snipped chives.
- As a starter : in ramekins, with a well-dressed green salad.
Storage
Soufflé is best eaten straight from the oven, it doesn't keep. If there's any left, it turns into a sort of cheese custard, good the next day: reheat it for 10 minutes at 170 °C and it will rise a little. The cheese base, however, can be made 2 hours ahead.
Take the eggs out of the fridge an hour before: whites at room temperature whisk higher and faster. Get everyone to the table before taking the soufflé out, not the other way round. And if your oven has a cool triple-glazed door and a good light, make the most of it: you'll see your soufflé rise without ever opening the door. For a full meal, finish with a homemade crème caramel.
Which appliance?
For a soufflé, you need an oven that offers conventional convection (top and bottom heat), which heats up to 200 °C quickly and holds a steady temperature, and a precise hob for a lump-free béchamel.
A stable, precise multifunction oven
Examples in store: Bosch HBA572BW3F (pyrolytic, Air Fry tray included), Siemens HB774G2B1 (iQ700, temperature probe, up to 300 °C), Smeg SFP6401TB (pyrolytic, powerful fan grill), Hisense BI64211EPX (pyrolytic, budget-friendly).
From 449,99 € to 1 229,99 €
A precise induction hob
For a thick béchamel without a scorched base, a responsive induction hob helps a lot. Example: Siemens EH631BJB6E, three zones with booster and 17 power levels.
609,99 €
An induction cooker
The Beko FBE68314MXC combines a three-zone induction hob and a 72-litre multifunction oven.
699,99 €
Public prices noted on 15 October 2026: the product page is definitive, and Nimesclub members often get a reduced price.
Ovens and hobs in store
BOSCH HBA572BW3F Built-in Oven€829.00
SIEMENS HB774G2B1 Built-in Oven€1,229.00
Built-in oven HISENSE BI64211EPX€449.00
Built-in oven SMEG SFP6401TB€699.00
Induction Hob SIEMENS EH631BJB6E€609.00
Cooker BEKO FBE68314MXC€699.00Top and bottom heat, fan-assisted, bottom heat only: our guide to oven functions decodes every symbol. And to get all your sauces right, read cooking with induction.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my soufflé collapse?
A soufflé always falls a little when it comes out of the oven, as the hot air inside cools. If it collapses during cooking, it is often because the oven door was opened, the egg whites were not stiff enough, or it was mixed too vigorously.
Can a soufflé be prepared in advance?
The cheese base (béchamel, yolks, cheese) can wait 2 hours in the fridge, covered with cling film pressed directly onto the surface. The egg whites are whisked and folded in just before it goes into the oven.
Fan-assisted or conventional oven for a soufflé?
Conventional heat (top and bottom elements), without the fan: the soufflé rises straight and evenly. Fan-assisted heat can make it lean over and dry out the top before the centre has risen.
The right oven makes all the difference
Steam ovens, pyrolytic ovens, induction hobs: come and see them at our Temploux store, or ask our expert salesperson for advice.
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