A Souffle By Any Other Name...

Oh, the souffle - light and airy, sweet or savory, but with the reputation of being tough to make; this couldn't be further from the truth. The souffle has two main components: a base made with egg yolks and flavorings, and whipped egg whites, which provide the lift. While in the oven, the air from the egg whites allows for the souffle to rise, but also causes it to fall somewhat once it leaves the oven. The word souffle in French means "puffed up" (an accurate term), that was invented in France during the late 18th century. The initial souffle recipe was for a Souffle au Fromage, or cheese souffle.

There are a few key recipes that I wanted/want to perfect by the end of the summer; this is one of those dishes, and I must say that I'm very happy with the result. You can serve this with a custard sauce, a good dusting of confectioner's sugar, or on it's own if you underbake it ever so slightly. The main thing to keep in mind, is that the bowl and whisk for the egg whites must be clean, otherwise they won't whip up properly. For those of you wondering how exactly a souffle is able to rise, feel free to visit the second source on this page, which gives an in-depth explanation of the rising mechanism. Also, you can change this recipe to use whatever fruit, chocolate, or savory flavoring your heart desires. Live life, and eat well!

Orange Souffle (makes 4)
(Adapted from Mark Bittman's recipe in How to Cook Everything)

2 eggs, separated
Juice & zest of 1 Valencia orange
1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the inside of the ramekins with butter, then place about 1-2 tablespoons of sugar in the ramekins and swirl to coat. Tap out the excess sugar, as needed.

2.) Place the egg yolks into a medium mixing bowl; add the sugar and whisk together until the yolks lighten up in color and become thick (when the whisk is taken out of the bowl, the yolks should fall in a thick ribbon back into the bowl). Add the juice and zest, then set aside.

3.) Place the whites in another medium mixing bowl; whip until they hold stiff peaks when the beater is taken out. Take a little bit of the whites and add it to the yolk mixture, to lighten it; then, add the rest of the whites and fold to incorporate thoroughly.

4.) Divide the mix between the ramekins, then place them into a large baking pan to make transfer easier. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the mix has risen and set up.

Some things to keep in mind: when you first add the whites to the yolks, the mixture will look really runny; don't be discouraged, it gets better once you add the rest of the whites in. Also, don't stir the second addition of whites, otherwise you'll beat the air out of the mix and it won't rise. Hope you'll give this a try! Live life, and eat well!!


Sources:
The Inspired Table
Visiting France