Twice-cooked Black Pudding Soufflé | Rachel Allen

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350F / Gas Mark 4 and butter 6 ramekins generously.
2. For the apple sauce: put the apple in a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with the lid and cook over a gentle heat (stirring every now and then) until the apple has broken down to a mush. Add sugar to taste, then set the sauce aside until ready to serve.
3. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes.
4. Pour in the milk in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly with a wire whisk. When the sauce is well blended, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until thickened to the desired consistency, then remove from the heat and crumble in the black pudding.
5. Separate the eggs. Add the 4 yolks to the black pudding mix, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
6. In a bowl, whisk the 5 egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Spoon a small amount of the egg white into the black pudding mixture and stir together, then gently fold in the remainder of the egg white.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling them with no more than two-thirds. Arrange the ramekins on a roasting tray, transfer them to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Remove the soufflés from the oven (and the roasting tray) and allow to sink.
9. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish. Gently remove the soufflés from the ramekins and arrange them upside down in the greased dish. The soufflés can be prepared ahead to this point.
10. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400F / Gas Mark 6
11. Season the cream with salt and freshly ground pepper and pour over the soufflés. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until pale gold in colour and well risen.
12. Fry the extra black pudding slices in butter until crisp. If desired, gently heat the apple sauce until warmed through.

To Serve:
Put a soufflé and a little sauce on each plate, spoon over a little apple sauce and garnish with slices of fried black pudding.