This Arbroath Smokies Souffle recipe, courtesy of chef patron Alex Aitken of the Harbour Hotels group, is the perfect winter dish – ideal for a dinner party or simply a cosy night in

Twice Baked Cheese Soufflés With Smoked Haddock

Makes 8

  • 50g butter
  • 50g flour
  • 500ml milk
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 small onion
  • 6 eggs, split
  • 150g smoked haddock

Bring the milk to the simmer with the sliced onion, bay leaves and cloves, allow to infuse for 15 minutes.

Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour to make a roux.

Strain the milk onto the roux to make a béchamel sauce.

Allow to cool for five minutes then whisk in the egg yolks.

Allow to cool for another ten minutes then begin to whisk your egg white with a small pinch of salt until soft peaks are achieved, do not over whisk.

Incorporate one metal spoon full of the egg whites into the béchamel to loosen the mixture slightly, then gently fold the rest of the egg white into the mixture Spray small pudding basins with spray grease, and fill the moulds with the mixture stopping just short of the top.

Bake in a bain marie at 160c for 13 minutes (the top oven works best). Check to make sure all of the soufflés are cooked as the oven will have hot spots.

Remove the cooked soufflés and place the slightly undercooked soufflés back in for another two minutes or so This stage can be prepared up to three days in advance.

To finish and serve, put each soufflé in a round-eared dish, flake smoked haddock, cover with whipping cream (not double cream), season, cover with cheese then bake at 170 degrees.

They should take 12 to 16 minutes.