White Chocolate Soufflé

1 and one half cups milk
One quarter cup cream
2 tablespoons melted butter, optional
4 eggs at room temperature, separated
1 additional egg white
One third cup flour
One third cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons melted butter, optional
Pinch of salt
6 ounces white baking chocolate
Soft butter and sugar to prepare the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prepare a 2 quart soufflé dish by buttering well and sprinkling the inside with granulated sugar.

Scald the milk in a large saucepan and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks until creamy. Add the flour and sugar and beat until well mixed. With the beater running on medium or low, slowly add a little of the hot milk to temper the egg mixture. Continue to beat in gently. Add the cream. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring slowly and constantly, over low heat until mixture thickens, about five minutes. Do not attempt to multitask here -- you don't want scrambled eggs! When well-thickened and smooth, remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and add the butter if desired (this enriches the taste but is not necessary).

Place the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high, one to two minutes, until just melted. Stir well to make sure there are no lumps. Add the chocolate to the yolk and milk mixture, stirring gently.

In a large bowl, preferably copper, beat the egg whites with the pinch of salt until firm but not quite stiff. Add one third of the beaten egg whites to the yolk and milk mixture and stir well. Then, using a large spatula, very gently fold in the lightened yolk and milk mixture to the egg whites.

Gently pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35 minutes -- until the soufflé has risen well, the top is quite golden brown and the middle is nearly set. Remove from the oven. Serve using two spoons -- one to break into the top crust and another to scoop out from below.

A variety of toppings will well adorn the soufflé. A chilled raspberry sauce and fresh berries would make for a classic combination, through a dark chocolate sauce alone or accompanied with sliced and well-sugared strawberries would also be wonderful. As the white chocolate flavoring is delicate, a sweet and intense topping is called for.

And while it is traditional to serve the soufflé warm, it is also good cold. Allow it to deflate and cool, then cover and chill for four hours or overnight. The addition of a warm chocolate sauce and dollop of whipped cream would make a fine dessert.

Chocolate Chunk and Cherry Cookies

1 ¾ cups dried cherries
3 tablespoons Kirsch or other cherry liqueur, or Cointreau
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks room temperature butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup dark brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 bag (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Set the dried cherries in a small bowl and pour the liqueur over them. Set aside. Stir a couple of times while preparing the batter, to help the cherries absorb as much of the liqueur as possible.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Place the softened butter in another bowl, and beat at medium speed until creamy. Slowly add the sugars and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, and then the eggs, one at a time, until well mixed. Then slowly add the flour mixture. Beat together thoroughly but gently on low speed; avoid over mixing.

Drain any liqueur from the cherries that was not absorbed. Add the cherries and the chocolate chunks to the cookie dough and stir in by hand until well distributed.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, form balls the size of walnuts from the batter. If desired, roll them lightly between your hands to perfect the shape. Place on cookie sheets, leaving two inches between for spreading. Bake for about nine to eleven minutes (ovens vary), until cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Avoid over-baking. If baking two sheets at once, switch them halfway to ensure even browning. Slide off the parchment from the baking sheets onto a flat surface, and after five minutes or so, gently lift the cookies with a spatula to prevent sticking. Allow the cookies to cool completely before eating or storing. That is, if you can stand to wait that long. Makes about 40 cookies.