Here's a recipe for little individual cheese souffl�s (serves 4)
5 eggs - these need to be at room temperature, not straight from the fridge
2 tbsp brandy (optional but it does add a certain *something*
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
pinch of crushed thyme
pinch of grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt & freshly ground black pepper
100g ricotta cheese
75g grated mature cheddar
75g grated gruyere
Heat the oven to Gas 7 (220 deg C).
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the eggs with the brandy, mustard, herbs, salt and peppers and stir in the 3 cheeses.
Beat the egg whites with a whisk until they hold a stiff peak. Add 1/4 of the whites to the egg yolk mix and stir in thoroughly. Fold in the rest of the whites really gently (every extra unnecessary beat means air will be lost..... sob sob)
Empty the mix into 4 buttered ramequin dishes or tiny baking dishes and place in the pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes or until they are puffed up and golden brown. DO NOT KEEP OPENING THE OVEN DOOR !!!!