Serve Immediately

Hot souffles just won´t wait for guests. Make sure everyone is ready before you pull the souffle out of the oven. They are very ethereal, lasting only a few moments. But that´s part of their charm.

Folding Egg Whites

When you begin making souffles, make sure that the egg whites are folded in gently but thoroughly. At first, it´s best to overfold a bit, so there aren´t streaks of egg whites in the finished product.

Beating Egg Whites

Here´s an old-fashioned tip for knowing when beaten egg whites are stiff enough. If a whole raw egg, placed lightly on top of the beaten egg whites, doesn´t sink but rests on top, the egg whites are stiff enough.

Sauce

Souffles are made of two parts; the sauce and the beaten egg whites. For best results, cool the sauce before you fold in the egg whites. Hot sauces will deflate the whites quickly and your souffle will not rise much.

Clean Bowls

Be absolutely sure there is no fat on your beaters or in the bowl when you beat egg whites to stiff peaks. If any amount of fat is present, the whites will never become stiff.

Chilled Chocolate Souffle

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
2 cups cold milk
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
6 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 cup coffee flavored liqueur
3 pasteurized eggs, separated
1 cup whipping cream

In medium non-reactive saucepan, combine gelatin and milk and let stand for five minutes. Add cocoa, 2 Tbsp. of the sugar, brown sugar, liqueur and the egg yolks. Stir to blend, then stir constantly over low heat until gelatin is dissolved and mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do NOT boil. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Refrigerate until slightly thickened, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, beat pasteurized egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar and beat until stiff. Using same beaters, beat whipping cream in another small bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold both these mixtures into the chilled chocolate mixture. Spoon into a 1 quart souffle dish. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.

Grand Marnier Souffle

1/3 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups milk
5 eggs, separated
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup Grand Marnier liqueur OR orange juice

Grease a 2 quart souffle dish lightly and sprinkle it with sugar. Cut a strip of foil about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide -- long enough to overlap itself by at least 2 inches when wrapped around the dish.
Fold it in half lengthwise, then grease one side with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Tie the paper as a collar around the souffle dish, sugared
side in, so that it extends at least 2 inches above the dish. Secure the ends of collar with paper clips.

Melt butter over low heat in saucepan -- don´t let it brown. Remove from heat, add flour and salt and mix until smooth. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until mixture is thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside while you prepare the eggs. Separate the eggs (this is easier when they are cold). Set egg whites aside. Beat the 5 egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add the cooked cream sauce, a small amount at a time, beating constantly until all the sauce has been added and mixture is creamy. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, beat all eight egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually, beating constantly until stiff peaks form. Gradually beat in lemon juice, a few drops at a time.

Stir Grand Marnier OR orange juice into the egg yolk
mixture, beating well. Add all at once to beaten egg whites, folding thoroughly using quick, light strokes. Pour into the souffle dish and set dish in the oven inside another pan. Pour hot water into the pan surrounding the souffle dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, until souffle is puffed and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and carefully remove paper collar. Serve immediately.

Creating a Top Hat

After the souffle mixture is in the prepared dish, use a spatula or knife to trace a circle one inch deep about one inch from the side of the dish. This will let the souffle rise more in the middle, making it look like a top hat.

Key Lime Souffle

Pecan Streusel
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Souffle
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup key lime juice
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
2 cups heavy whipping cream

Prepare six 4 ounce souffle dishes by wrapping six strips of lightly oiled aluminum foil around outside of dishes to form a collar, extending 1" above top edge.

For Pecan Streusel, in 1 quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar and cook until mixture just comes to a boil. Stir in pecans, cook 1 minute longer, then remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.

For souffle, soften gelatin in lime juice in small saucepan for 5 minutes. Cook over low heat until gelatin is dissolved, about 1-2 minutes. Add sweetened condensed milk and whisk well.

Beat cream in large mixer bowl at high speed until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Gently stir in lime mixture.

Place 1 Tbsp. Pecan Streusel into each souffle dish. Divide lime mixture evenly among dishes. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. When ready to serve, remove foil collar from souffle dishes and carefully press remaining Pecan Streusel around the part of the souffle that extends over the dish top.

Baking Times

Dessert souffles are usually baked at higher temperatures than savory souffles because they are more liquid.

Individual Souffles

Individual souffles are usually easier for the beginning cook to make successfully. Still, watch carefully while they are in the oven so they don´t overbake.

Cold Souffles

Cold souffles are basically a mousse that is stiff enough to hold its shape above the rim of a souffle dish. They can be any flavor, from vanilla to mango to caramel.

Serving Souffles

When you serve a hot souffle, make sure each serving contains part of the crusty exterior as well as the soft and creamy interior.

Chocolate Souffle

6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
4 oz. squares semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 1-1/2 quart souffle dish. Fold a 25-inch piece of foil lengthwise into thirds and butter one side of foil. Position foil, buttered side in, around the outside of prepared souffle dish, allowing foil to extend 3" above rim of dish and secure ends with tape.

In large bowl, beat 6 egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt for five minutes until thick and lemon colored. In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir melted chocolate into egg yolk mixture until smooth.

In small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold beaten egg whites until chocolate mixture until no white streaks remain. Spoon gently into prepared souffle dish and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve immediately and refrigerate any leftovers.