1980s

Delia Smith

Britain's most trusted home cook and an absolute pillar of domestic education. Delia taught multiple generations how to master fundamental culinary techniques with absolute precision and clarity. Her legendary multi-part 'Cookery Course' series became a massive BBC cultural phenomenon. She possessed the unique power to cause immediate nationwide supermarket shortages—famously dubbed 'the Delia effect'—whenever she recommended a specific ingredient or utensil, establishing her as an unmatched icon of accessible British gastronomy.

Legacy

Demystified cooking for the masses; directly influenced commercial ingredient supply chains across the UK.


The Perfect Traditional British Soufflé

A foolproof, meticulously detailed guide to achieving an incredibly light, sky-high rise every single time.

Ingredients

  • 50g Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 50g Plain Flour
  • 300ml Whole Milk
  • 150g Strong Cheddar or Gruyère, grated
  • 4 Large Free-range Eggs (separated)
  • 1 Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt and White Pepper

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Thoroughly butter a 15cm soufflé dish, using upward strokes, then coat with flour or grated cheese.
  2. Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk to create a smooth, thick Béchamel sauce.
  3. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly, then stir in the cheese and egg yolks until smoothly emulsified.
  4. In a clean grease-free bowl, whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold a quarter into the base sauce to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest.
  5. Pour into the dish, run a thumb around the inner rim to create a top-hat effect, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes without opening the oven door.
Find more videos from Delia Smith on YouTube →

Book

Delia's Complete How to Cook


Back to all chefs