Adapted from All Recipes – serves 8

Use 1 large soufflé dish or 8 individual ramekins

A nutty blend of fall flavors that is wonderful as a light but fragrant appetizer or a light main course with an extravagant salad. Use Lavender flavored vinaigrette both for a salad or just to drizzle over the soufflé.

Ingredients:

• 30 grams / 1/3 cup of dried chestnut flakes, crumbled by hand
• 30 grams / ¼ cup plus 1 TBSP of chestnut flour
• 50 grams / 4 TBSP’s butter
• 240 ml / 1 cup milk (i.e. lactose-free)
• 150 grams / 2/3 cup of fresh or finely crumbled goat cheese
• 4 eggs separated
• 1/2 tsp dried organic lavender for cooking
• fresh ground pepper

Note: my goat cheese was very salty so no additional salt was required – if you are using fresh cream goat cheese taste it first and then decide if you need to add salt when adding the ground fresh pepper.

Putting it all together:

• Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Fahrenheit
• Place the milk and lavender in a saucepan and heat – remove from heat just before boiling and let sit to infuse
• Combine crumbled chestnuts flakes and 1 TBSP chestnut flour
• Butter the soufflé dish (or ramekins) and dust with flour/chestnut mixture – tapping out extra back into a bowl
• Measure the leftover chestnut/flour mixture adding the rest of the chestnut flour to equal 30 grams / ¼ cup
• Strain the milk to remove the lavender
• In a medium-large saucepan melt the butter, add the chestnut flour mixture and cook whisking with a large wire whisk continuously for 2 minutes – don’t worry if it is a lump.
• Remove from the heat and add the milk whisking as you add it.
• Return the saucepan to the heat and bring it to a boil whisking continuously. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool somewhat in the pan about 3 minutes so as not to curdle the eggs when they are added.
• Add the cheese, egg yolks and fresh ground pepper and stir vigorously until well combined. You should now have a thicker paste rather than a lump – add more milk if needed.
• Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until almost stiff.
• Fold the whites into the cheese mixture gently, 1/3 at a time – do not over mix. If your pot is too small first place the cheese and egg mixture in a large bowl and then fold in the whites.
• Pour the mixture into a large soufflé dish or into the individual ramekins.
• Bake in a “bain marie” (soufflé dish / ramekins placed in a casserole dish filled with warm water to go about ½ way up the sides of the soufflé dish / ramekins) in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes for large – 25 minutes for individual ones. Check for doneness once quickly so as not to collapse the soufflé, it should be spongy but firm when you press the top with a finger. If not leave it 5 minutes longer.
• Carefully remove the pan from the oven and serve immediately since it will “collapse” quickly. Drizzle with lavender vinaigrette.