We were delighted to be invited to participate in this year’s Cheese Your Way campaign with the National Dairy Council in collaboration with CHAFEA and funded by the EU. For the first of two content creator challenges we were tasked to recreate one of the Cheese Your Way recipes – a stunning soufflé – with one Irish and one European cheese, which – if you’re like us – is one of the dreamiest prospects ever!

Now, if you’ve never made a soufflé before and are already anxious about the process, let us stop you right there and take you through it step by step because it’s super delicious and surprisingly simple to make! First, let’s discuss the two cheeses we’ve chosen –– and though the original recipe featured cheddar (which in recent research by Cheese Your Way found that cheddar was the nation’s go-to cheese (64%!), we’re opting for something a little different and hope you’ll jump on board a delicious flavour journey with us…

Templegall is a raw cow’s milk, Alpine-style cheese made in 40kg wheels by father-and-son team Jim and Dan Hegarty of Hegarty’s in Co. Cork in southern Ireland. It’s similar to Comté or Gruyère with a rich, creamy, nuttiness but bears a very distinguishable Irish terroir –– as unlike its European counterparts it’s made from the milk of a single herd on a single family farm, rather than from a cooperative, plus from a Freisian herd rather than Montbéliarde or Simmental.

Mozzarella is native to Italy, of course, and mozzarella di Bufala is made from buffalo milk produced in four specific regions of south and central Italy only! PDO awarded by the EU since 1996 ensuring it retains its unique quality and character, it’s a sweeter, creamier alternative to the more commonplace bovine equivalent, well worth getting your hands on! We sourced both of these from Sheridan’s Cheesemongers.

Here, we’re combing both and the result is a seriously creamy, rich and indulgent yet impeccably light –– the perfect starter or appetizer, as well as stunning lunch or dinner dish served alongside a dressed salad and some fresh sourdough or soda bread. Cheese is so diverse and offers such variety, value and quality in its different expressions –– so there are so many delicious experiences to discover with different European cheeses. Cheese Your Way is an EU Commission-funded, multi-country campaign that aims to encourage people to eat, cook with and learn more about the diverse range of European cheeses.

As part of a recent study of over 500 Irish respondents, 53% are curious to discover more cheeses –– which is over double the French (25%) and almost three times the Danes (18%), plus Ireland’s go-to cheese (64%) is classic cheddar. So we love our cheese and want to expand our horizons in the Emerald Isle, and that plays perfectly into our corner because we’re passionate about cheese and in particular showcasing and demonstrating the breadth of incredible cheeses produced across Europe, not least of all on our home turf in Ireland.

Templegall & Mozzarella Soufflé

Serves 4

40g butter, plus extra for greasing
40g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
300ml whole milk
4 large free-range eggs, separated
75g Templegall Cheese (Hegarty’s), grated
75g fresh mozzarella, grated
1 tsp strong Irish or English mustard
1 tsp white pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC and put the kettle on. Grease the ramekins and coat lightly with flour, turning upside down to get rid of any excess.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, and stir in the flour to make a roux, then cook out for a minute before whisking in the milk until smooth, along with the mustard and white pepper. This is the béchamel base, allow to cool slightly.

3. In another bowl, stir both cheeses with the egg yolks and then beat in the béchamel. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, airy and holding their shape, then beat one third into the cheese mixture to loosen it. Very slowly and gently fold in the remaining two-thirds with a spatula.

4. Divide the mixture between the ramekins, set them in a roasting tin or baking dish with high sides and half-fill with water from the recently-boiled kettle.

5. Place the soufflés in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, until well risen and golden, serving immediately whilst still hot.