Bacon and Swiss Souffle

It didn't take long for me to decide upon a souffle.  I bought some Gruyere cheese and ended up with a pretty decent-tasting meal.

5 Tablespoons butter

1/2 cup flour

bread crumbs

1 3/4 cups grated Gruyere cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

4 egg yolks

4 egg whites

1 1/3 cup whole milk

4-8 slices of bacon

Butter the insides of a 6-inch souffle dish and then coat it with breadcrumbs.  Preheat the oven to 375F. cut the bacon crosswise into 1/2 inch strips and fry until done.

Make a collar for the souffle dish: Cut a strip of parchment paper at least as long as the diameter of the souffle dish.  Fold it in half lengthwise, wrap it around the outside of the souffle dish and secure it with twine. you are basically extending the sides of the souffle dish upward so that when the souffle rises, it goes up and not out over the edges of the dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour until well combined, and then slowly mix in the milk.  Whisk vigorously so they combine evenly and keep whisking until it forms a sauce about the consistence of a milkshake.  Add the egg yolks and bacon, combine well. Set aside and let cool a bit.

Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks.  VERY GENTLY fold a spoonful of the now-cooled  sauce into the whites to loosen the mixture.  hen VERY GENTLY fold the egg whites into the sauce. (You are doing this gently so as to not break the zillion little air bubbles in the whipped egg whites)

Pour the mixture into the prepared souffle dish and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until it has risen nicely and the top is browned. It should jiggle a bit when bumped.

When it's done immediately remove the collar and place the dish on the table.