When we moved to California in 2008, one of the first breakfasts we had was at Panera Bread. I ordered a Spinach & Bacon Soufflé — and it was love at first bite. Puff pastry, a savoury egg mixture, spinach, cheese, and bacon. A perfect little savoury, cheesy treat, not too big and not too small. I never forgot it.
Last weekend I finally tried to make my own version, and I am so glad I did.
Make-ahead note: These reheat beautifully. Once completely cooled, place them in a ziplock bag and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, warm them in the oven at 340℉ (170℃) until heated through. They also freeze well — just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Tip: I used a popover pan this time, but I'd recommend ramekins — the puff pastry cooled too quickly in the popover pan and didn't get as golden brown as I'd like. Ramekins it is next time!
Yield: 6–8 soufflés.
Ingredients:
1 pack of puff pastry
5 slices of bacon
Egg mix:
8 eggs
1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives
1½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
a pinch cayenne pepper
Bechamel Sauce:
240 ml (1 cup) milk
4 tablespoon butter
5 tablespoon all-purpose flour
75 g baby spinach
75 g shredded emmentale cheese
75 g shredded cheddar cheese
75 g shredded gruyere cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (200℃).
Shred all three cheeses and set aside. Whisk together the eggs, chives, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and set aside.
Make the béchamel. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook for a minute until the flour is no longer visible. Gradually whisk in the milk — it may look separated at first, but keep stirring and it will come together. The sauce will thicken as it heats up. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. If it is too hot the eggs will curdle.
Gradually add the egg mixture to the béchamel a little at a time, stirring well between each addition until fully combined. Fold in all the cheese and the spinach.
Place some puff pastry into each ramekin, pressing and stretching it to fit up the sides. Divide the mixture evenly between the ramekins. Top each one with a slice of bacon.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden brown and the bacon is crisp.
Let the soufflés cool for a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!