Heat the oven to 200C/fan180C/gas 6. Toss the spring onions in a little oil and sea salt on an oven tray and roast them for 15 minutes until golden and starting to soften. Allow them to cool slightly then roughly chop half of them. Set the remaining whole onions aside and turn the oven off.  

Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Separate the eggs into two large clean, dry bowls; the whites into the bowl of the stand mixer if using. Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks (easier in a stand mixer or with an electric whisk) and, separately, the yolks until smooth. Add the milk, Comté and chopped spring onions, a good pinch of salt and lots of freshly cracked pepper to the yolks before whisking in the flour. Beat until lump-free. Carefully and slowly fold in the whites using a large metal spoon. 

Heat a wide frying pan or hot plate, greased with a little oil or butter over a medium heat. When hot add large spoonfuls of the batter - you’re going to get about 12 generously from the batter. Allow the batter to puff and flip with a spatula after 3 minutes. Cook for another 3 minutes and keep warm in the cooling spring onion oven. Repeat with the rest of the batter then serve in a heap with the remaining spring onions and extra grated Comté and creme fraiche.