Double Baked Cheese Souffle

Being one of the really great French classics, souffles are notorious for being very temperamental. Over-bake them and they are like rubber, under-bake them and they become a gooey mess. Bake them to perfection and they collapse right in front of your guests eyes.
Double Baked Cheese Souffle's are a good option for the everyday cook -  without sacrificing much of the magic. This is a foolproof version of the great iconic French classic.    

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Ingredients:
425ml    milk
1            small onion , thickly sliced
1pinch   nutmeg
2            fresh or dried bay leaves
4 tbsp    butter , plus extra for greasing
7 tbsp    plain flour
1 tsp      heaped English mustard     
4            eggs , separated
140g     extra mature cheddar , finely grated
142ml   pot double cream
















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Method:
Heat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Put milk, onion, nutmeg and bay leaves into a pan. Bring to the boil, then set aside to infuse for 30 mins.  Discard onion and bay leaf.
Butter 8 x 150ml ramekins.
Melt the butter in a second saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 min, stirring. Take off the heat and gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Return to the hob and stir until the sauce boils and thickens.
Off the heat, stir in the mustard, egg yolks and three-quarters of the cheese, then season. Scrape mixture into a large mixing bowl. In another big bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Boil a full kettle. Carefully fold the whites into the cheese mix and fill ramekins two thirds full. Transfer to a roasting tin, then pour the boiling water into the tin until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until risen, just set and still a little wobbly. Take out of the tin and leave to cool.
To serve, heat oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Loosen souffles around the edges with a knife, then turn out, upside down, into a shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with rest of cheese, then spoon 1 tbsp cream over each souffle. Bake for 10-12 mins till puffed and golden on the top (or 12-15 mins at the lower temperature).
Serve at once with a light and crispy green salad garnished with lightly crisped lardons (bacon rashers cut into strips).