Non-Blintz Blintz Souffle - Shavout

Today I present my famous Blintz Souffle.  Unlike most other blintz souffle recipes, this one doesn't use actual blintzes.  Don't get me wrong.  I grew up on the purchased stuff and happen to really like the blueberry kind.  But this recipe is easier than using store-bought (because in the standard recipe you still have to whip up the egg mixture anyway) and WAY easier than making blintzes from scratch.

By the way, I saw on TV once, maybe it was Unwrapped on the Food Network, how frozen blintzes are made, and they are labor-intensive.  Ladies on the line hand-wrap the blintzes around the filling, because it seems that a machine can't do it properly.  But I digress ...

So you are probably asking why is "blintz" even in the title when there aren't any real blintzes in the souffle.  Because it has all the ingredients in a bona fide blintz.  And the cutaway of the souffle sort of resembles the layers of a blintz when cut in half.   So there.

Less eggs are used than in the standard recipe.  It still uses a heart-stopping stick o'butter, but I use some lower fat dairy products and reduce the amount of others so it won't kill you.  Not quite as fast anyway.

Speaking of butter:

TIP ALERT! Use the butter wrapper to grease the pan.  This is great when you only need to lightly grease something. Some very thrifty people freeze the wrappers to use later, but I'm not that anal frugal.  Just so happens that since this souffle uses an entire stick, a wrapper is convenient and available.

Neuchatel cheese is lower fat than cream cheese. It is softer than the regular stuff, which means you don't have to wait for it to come to room temperature to make the souffle.  Don't use whipped cream cheese, though.  Because of all the air in it, you are actually using far less cream cheese than you think, which will affect the results.  And not in a good way.

Blintz Souffle
Serves 6-8

Filling:
2 medium or large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
8 oz. (one brick) Neuchatel Cream Cheese
1 small container (16 ozs.) regular ricotta cheese
Juice from one large lemon

Batter:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, cut up
1/2 cup sugar
2 medium or large eggs
1 cup unbleached flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 plus 1/8 cup (2 Tbl.) low-fat milk

Place cut-up butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and nuke 1 1/2 minutes, or until completely melted. Let cool a bit in fridge.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch baking dish.  Set aside.

Using a heavy serving fork or wooden spoon, mix together all the filling ingredients in a large bowl until fairly smooth.

A few lumps are ok.  Set aside.

Whisk together the remainder of the batter ingredients except the 1/8 cup milk.

As you can see, I didn't feel like having to wash another measuring cup, so I re-used the 1/2 cup and just filled it up half-way.

The batter will be a little thick.

Fetch the slightly-cooled butter from the fridge and whisk it into the batter until smooth.

Pour half the batter into the baking dish.  Using a rubber spatula, gently spread the batter around evenly.  Or make pretty swirls.  Entertain yourself. 

Using the same spatula, gently spread the filling on top of the batter.

Whisk the remaining milk into the remaining batter, then carefully spread batter on top of the filling.

Some of the filling may still poke out, but it will sink below the batter as it bakes, so don't fret.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until top is golden brown.

Let sit for 5 minutes on heat-proof surface to let souffle firm up just a tad.

 Cut into squares and serve hot.