I used to make something I called Sugar Soufflé. I didn't really make it so much as I collected handfuls of sparkly mica-flecked rocks from under the back porch, placed them all into a pile, and imagined that they were a delicious airy concoction that tasted of vanilla, marshmallows, and melted butterscotch ice cream. I served this odd, tasteless dish to my brother and the neighbor girl who was forced to play with my 6-year-old weirdness. Though the reality of Sugar Soufflé was disappointing and, well, rock-like, the fantasy was acutely delicious. I can still just about picture how good it tasted in my head, and I suspect I've spent the proceeding two decades searching for a flavor that would match that which I'd imagined so long ago.
My first soufflé certainly ignored many of the basic principles of souffle-making. Outside of the imagination, rocks are typically too heavy to keep aloft among the delicate peaks of a stiffly beaten meringue. Puree, however, works perfectly. A few months ago, I read a great little post by one of my favorite food bloggers, Zen Chef, who wrote about how he--in a pinch--transformed a half-melted carton of Ciao Bella passion fruit sorbet into a restaurant caliber dessert. As an undying fan of passion fruit, I always have a carton of that particular sorbet in the freezer (or icy and melty on a table near me) and decided that perhaps it was time to put this recipe into action.
Half-way through an episode of Lost, I bopped up from the couch and went into the kitchen where I started mixing and beating and sugaring my way to my very first passion fruit sorbet. It looked perfect. Light and with an airy rise a full inch above the rim of the ramekin, this souffle was impressive. But there was just one problem; it didn't taste like much. Maybe it was the eggs or the sorbet, but the passion fruit flavor was lost among the egginess and all I tasted was something that tasted like a sweet, airy omelet. It wasn't *bad* per se, but it wasn't at all what I expected.
My boyfriend and I each finished one souffle, and the leftovers were wrapped and placed in the fridge. "Maybe I'll eat it for breakfast," I told him.
But then I forgot about it.
Two days later and the (now totally collapsed) souffle was still sitting in the fridge. Craving something sweet, I finally pulled it out and scooped it into a plate. Topped with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream and a handful of berries, I sat down on the couch to eat what I expected would be a passable treat. OH. MY. GOD. was I wrong! It was...incredible! I can't even describe how transformed this cold, fallen souffle tasted. It was as if the passion fruit had suddenly woken up and bathed itself in a silky caramel-tinged custard. With the mild whipped cream and the tartness of the berries, this was pure delight. I offered Eugene a bite who agreed that this dessert had come a long way since the sugary omelet of a few days past.
I ate it slowly, not wanting the goodness to end, and not until I near the end did it finally hit me. Sugar Souffle!! This was precisely the flavor I'd been imagining all along.
The recipe for the original souffle came from here, but if you really want to taste what my childlike imagination conjured all those years ago, I suggest you let them cool, cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge overnight. The next day, top with some berries and a big plop of whipped cream. I think you'll like...
FAQs
Heat matters. Make sure the oven is preheated; that initial hot blast expands the air trapped inside the bubbly foam of batter, which makes it rise. Having the soufflé base hot or warm when you fold in the egg whites helps the temperature rise quickly, too.
Are soufflés supposed to be gooey? ›
Setting standard. Soufflés are best when they're still slightly runny in the centre. To check if a soufflé is set, gently tap the dish – it should wobble just a little bit. If the centre seems too fluid, cook for a few more minutes.
How should a soufflé be served? ›
Every soufflé is an asymmetrical, one-of-a-kind dish. This billowy creation—a hallmark of French culinary tradition—can be served as a sweet dessert with chocolate or berries, or a savory meal with gruyère cheese, vegetables, or meat.
Do you have to eat a soufflé right away? ›
Serve Soufflé Quickly
If you are serving soufflé for dessert, pop it in the oven right before you start to eat dinner. This way, the soufflé will be ready to serve around the time you finish the entree. And, most importantly, serve the soufflé straight away—it will begin to lose its lift and collapse as it cools.
What are two important steps to ensure a perfect soufflé? ›
According to La Varenne Practique (a timeless masterwork you should consider owning if learning more about classic French cooking appeals), there are only a few critical points to perfecting a souffle: a base of the right consistency, stiff egg whites, and the careful folding of the base and the beaten whites.
Why is soufflé so hard? ›
If your egg whites were overwhipped, they were already stretched to, or beyond, their maximum, and they've lost their elasticity. They won't be able to expand in the oven, they'll burst as the air cells inflate, the souffle will be vertically challenged, and we're back to perpetuating the myth of the finicky souffle.
Does opening an oven ruin a soufflé? ›
Opening the oven door while it bakes
It is a bad habit, to say the least, but especially with soufflé. A sudden temperature change can cause fragile baked goods like these to collapse or crack.
Can you keep soufflé in the fridge? ›
Souffle may be made up ahead and refrigerated as long as 24 hours. Put souffle in cold oven and bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees. It can also be frozen up to 7 days.
Can you eat soufflé the next day? ›
The recipe for the original souffle came from here, but if you really want to taste what my childlike imagination conjured all those years ago, I suggest you let them cool, cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge overnight. The next day, top with some berries and a big plop of whipped cream.
How moist should soufflé be? ›
It should rise two to three inches above the rim; you want a dry, firm, golden-brown crust with a moist, creamy inside (when testing with a knife, the blade will be wet, but not covered with runny liquid). Gently move the oven rack back and forth to see whether the soufflé is still shaky or more firmly set.
How to check when the souffle is perfectly done: To know if the souffle is perfectly cooked inside, you stick a kitchen needle into the middle. It must come out totally clean. If, on the contrary, it comes out wet and covered with egg, prolong the cooking for 2-3 minutes.
What can go wrong with a soufflé? ›
If the dish is too small, the soufflé will overflow; if too big, it may not rise above the rim and look elegant. 2. It is easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator cold. However, egg whites whip to greater volume when they are at room temperature.
How to eat soufflé? ›
First, she makes a small well in the middle of the delicate dessert with her spoon. She then takes crème anglaise and drizzles most, if not all of it, in the hole. The final step involves spooning some whipped cream over the soufflé, making it ready to eat.
What can you eat soufflé with? ›
Savory Pair-ups: 7 BEST Side Dishes to for Cheese Soufflé
- Meat. • 1 Mashed potatoes with bacon.
- Produce. • 1 Buttered green beans. • 1 Green salad with vegetables. • 1 Scalloped potatoes.
- Condiments. • 1 Biscuits and gravy.
- Pasta & Grains. • 1 Angel hair pasta.
- Bread & Baked Goods. • 1 Bread rolls.
How to check when the souffle is perfectly done: To know if the souffle is perfectly cooked inside, you stick a kitchen needle into the middle. It must come out totally clean. If, on the contrary, it comes out wet and covered with egg, prolong the cooking for 2-3 minutes.
Why do soufflés have to be served immediately? ›
All soufflés fall within minutes of coming out of the oven because the hot air bubbles contract to shrink and deflate when they hit cooler air. That is why you need to serve them immediately after baking.
How do you test a soufflé for doneness? ›
For a foolproof way to tell if your soufflé is done, take two large spoons, pull open the top of the soufflé, and peek inside. The center should be barely set. If it still looks soupy, return it to the oven.
