INGREDIENTS: 

Serves 8

For the Soufflés:

70g salted butter

70g cake flour

400ml milk

200g grated Dalewood Simond™ Cheese

12 egg yolks

13 egg whites

50g salted butter, melted, for brushing

100g cake flour, for dusting

For the Figs: 

16 purple figs

50g butter

2 T honey

Final touch:

400ml white wine velouté

200g grated Dalewood Simond™ Cheese

METHOD: 

For the Soufflés: 

To make the soufflés, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add half the milk and whisk over a low heat until the mixture thickens. Add the remaining milk and stir continuously over a low heat for 10 minutes to cook the flour. Add the Dalewood Simond™ cheese and whisk until melted.

Pour the cheese sauce into a bowl and add the egg yolks. Mix well. Set aside to cool. Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the cooled cheese sauce.

Brush the inside of 8 ramekins with the melted butter. Fill each ramekin with flour, one at a time, then pour the flour out into a bowl and repeat with the remaining ramekins using the same flour. Discard any remaining flour.

Divide the soufflé mixture between the ramekins and bake at 200°C for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then remove the soufflés from the ramekins and set aside.

For the Figs: 

Remove the stems from the figs and score the tops. Combine the butter and honey in a saucepan and cook over a medium heat until the butter has melted. Brush over the figs, then roast at 180°C for 5 minutes.

Final touch: 

Just before serving, place the soufflés in an ovenproof dish and pour over the white wine velouté. Place the figs between the soufflés and top with the grated Dalewood Simond™ cheese. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Recipe courtesy of Brendan & Leigh Thorncroft, taken from their book Sunday Lunching at The Table

Design and styling courtesy of Roxanne Spears

Photograph courtesy of Claire Gunn