Emeril'S Fallen Souffle

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter 6 (3/4 cup/6-ounce) ramekins with 4 teaspoons of the butter. (I used one large round casserole dish for half the recipe and made one large one just fine).

2. 2

   Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese and use to dust the bottoms and sides of each ramekin.

3. 3

   Set inside a roasting pan large enough to hold the cups without touching.

4. 4

   In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and fragrant, about 1 minute.

5. 5

   Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens slightly and forms a light roux, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the milk, and bring to a boil. Simmer, whisking, until thick, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove from the heat. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the cheese, tarragon, salt, and pepper, and stir to incorporate.

8. 8

   In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks just form. Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture.

9. 9

   Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the yolks in 3 additions.

10. 10

    Divide among the prepared custard cups and fill the roasting pan with warm water to come half way up the sides of the ramekins.

11. 11

    Bake without opening the oven door until slightly puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

12. 12

    Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let rest uncovered for 30 minutes. Run a thin, sharp knife around the edges of the ramekins to release the souffles. (Note: souffles can be covered at this point in plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.).

13. 13

    Increase the oven temperature to 425u00b0F Bake the souffles until puffed and heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven.

14. 14

    If you are serving this on wilted spinach, it gets tricky. Have all the ingredients ready before returning the souffles to the oven. When the souffles have been in for 5 minutes, put the spinach in the pan. At that point, get everyone to the table and hurry.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.