Light and airy Artichoke Souffle with Goat Cheese and thyme! Made with fresh (or frozen) artichoke hearts- these make for an elegant and delicious appetizer.
Golden topped soufflés with fresh artichoke hearts, goat cheese and thyme are savory, delicious and decadent. They make wonderful spring appetizers, or pair them with a crunchy and refreshing fennel salad for a light lunch or dinner. As daunting as soufflés sound, if you understand the concept, and follow the directions, they are pretty fail-safe. They are delicious little guys and really also really fun to make. You can use fresh artichoke hearts- or to save time use canned artichokes hearts (packed in water) or frozen artichoke hearts.
No single ingredient has taught me more about cooking- than eggs. Understanding the culinary potential of eggs, gives us so many added tools in the kitchen. For example, egg whites, when whipped, become “air holders” bringing lightness and structure to other ingredients- like in this Artichoke Souffle recipe.
When heated, the air molecules trapped in the egg whites expand even further, causing things like cakes and soufflés to puff up and rise. Witnessing this first hand is a magical experience and I believe, one of the true joys of baking.
A savory souffle is basically, taking the classical béchamel sauce ( flour, butter, milk, cheese ) and folding in whipped egg whites and yolks.
The whipped whites make the soufflé rise, while the yolks add richness. You can flavor a soufflé any way you choose. For this, I blended up artichoke hearts into a very smooth puree and added it to the bechemal along with thyme and goat cheese. But I could have just as easily added chopped blanched asparagus, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, or even bacon crumbles and cheddar cheese. As long as the base of the béchamel is flavorful, the soufflé will be too. It’s a lovely vehicle for highlighting seasonal ingredients.
Artichoke Souffle w/ Goat Cheese and Thyme
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: French
Description
Artichoke Souffles with goat cheese and thyme, a delicious appetizer featuring artichokes!
Ingredients
4 extra large eggs, separated
1 C half and half , or whole milk
3 T butter + extra for ramekins
3 T flour + extra for dusting ramekins
1/4 cup goat cheese or any other melting cheese
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
pinch nutmeg
1 T fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- If using fresh artichokes, trim artichokes and cook in boiling salted water until tender about 1 hour depending on size. Drain, remove outer leaves and remove fuzzy choke and reserve the heart (fleshy center part) and 1 inch of the tender stem.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a blender, blend artichoke hearts with half and half, until very smooth.
- In a small pot, over a medium heat, melt butter and add flour. Whisk until smooth and cook one minute, careful not to brown. Gradually add cream/artichoke mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens.Once thickened, turn heat to low, add salt, pepper, nutmeg. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in goat cheese and thyme. Turn heat off. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Place the whites in a mixer. Place the yolks in a small bowl, and temper them (warm them up) by adding tablespoon or two of the warm artichoke mixture to the yolks, to warm them up gently, mixing with a fork. Add the tempered (warmed) yolks to the artichoke mixture, gradually, whisking to combine. Set pot aside, let cool. You can make these ahead up to this point, leave at room temp for two hours or refrigerate over night. Boil 1-2 quarts of water- I like to use a teapot – for the hot water bath.
- Beat the egg whites in a mixer or large bowl until foamy. Add a pinch of salt then continue whisking until medium stiff peaks form. Do not over beat, you want them stiff, but not too dry. Gently fold egg whites into the room temp artichoke mixture.
- Grease eight 2 inch ramekins with butter and dust with flour on all sides including base. Fill the ramekins to 1/2-inch from the top with artichoke mixture. Top with sprig of thyme. Place ramekins inside another baking dish and fill with the hot water so the water comes half way up the outside of the ramekins, creating a hot water bath. Bake in 400F oven for 10 minutes, turn heat down toe 350, and continue baking for 15 minutes. minutes.
- Serve immediately. They will begin to deflate, once they are removed from the oven, so plan accordingly. Even though they will deflate, they will still taste good the next day–and can be reheated right in the ramekin.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 178
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 336 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.2 g
- Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 9.8 g
- Cholesterol: 114 mg
I made these beautiful, delicious souffles as part of my Easter dinner. I was a bit intimidated because of the number of steps, etc. but they were wonderful and delicious. Mine looked a bit pale compared to your gorgeous photo, so I may bake a bit longer next time. I learned so much making these and my guests loved this dish.
The color of the egg yolks could contribute to the finished color? Glad it all worked out!
If I was planning to make these to take to someone’s house, could I have them all ready to go then bake them in a water bath at her house?
Yes, Nancy, that is exactly what I would do. 🙂
J’ai fais un gros soufflé que j’ai cuit 45min, il était parfait et ce goût d’artichaut et divin !!!
Merci pour la recette, toujours Fabuleux
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Bosha!
Where can I purchase that adorable mini soufflé water bath set (Or one similar?). Please consider adding to your store!!
Hi Tracy- I borrowed these from a friend- a family treasure. I know- super cute!
That was my question too. A perfect Bain Marie
Search the internet for “creme brulee set” and items will pop up. Chicago Metallic has a set and there are others on Amazon.
Could I double the recipe and bake in a Large soufflé dish?
I don’t see why not Ed- but I haven’t personally tried it. Will you let us know how it goes?
Hi Sylvia,
This recipe looks great. Do you have any ideas for what flour to use if going lectin free? Maybe cassava flour?
Hi Joanna- I haven’t tried with casava flour- but my guess is is should work??
Delicious! Smooth creamy texture, rich in flavor, but not heavy. Very delicious soufflé. It will become one of my standard recipes to make
so delicious! Came out perfect.
Hi! How would I alter this to make 1 large soufflé?
Kimberly, honestly I am not sure. Probably longer baking time? If you do try it, please leave your notes here…would love to know how it turns out.
I made these and unfortunately they did not turn out well. I baked them two minutes extra but they came out of the oven too soft, like bread pudding –even after setting for a couple minutes. I was expecting a fluffier soufflé. Although it may have been because I didn’t whip the egg whites enough. Regardless, the flavor was good; the cheese was prominent and they could even use more Thyme . I’ll continue using your recipes though!:)
Yes, they are tricky little guys, and yes, they should be light and airy. Im not sure what happened, sorry. So many variables with this one.
Do I need to alter the cooking time if this is all made in one larger bowl?
Yes. Bake until soufflé is puffed and golden on top and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently. Good luck!!
My eyes popped when I saw these baby doll soufflés filled with some of my favorite flavors. It looks like a recipe that is doable to me too. Delish!
I’m wondering how many ounces these ramekins are?
Three ounces.
These souffle pics are so good looking! You mind if I ask where you got those lovely bowls with golden stand from?! dying to have them 🙂
These little souffles are so pretty and look totally delicious! Beautiful photos.
Pinning!
Thanks Abbie!!
Oh my goodness! These souffle are incredile looking! I wish I can have some right now. I have made a few dessert souffle, but haven’t tried any savory ones. Yours would be perfect to try. And those little fish ramekins? Adorable!
Ahhh… Thanks!!
I love the recipe and can’t wait to try! I agree, eggs are versatile little things and it’s amazing what you can make with them.
What beautiful little souffles! They look very elegant and sophisticated.
Thanks!
Yes, I agree with Christijna’s comment. It looks like a popover pan, but where didyou get the cups?
Borrowed from a friend 🙂
These looks gorgeous and unbelievably tasty! I’m completely obsessed with that adorable water bath apparatus you have… I’ve never seen anything like it. So charming!
I like it too. I borrowed it from a friend who’s had it in her family for a while.