SOUFFLE A puffy, delicate, light-as-air creation. Savory or sweet, hot or cold, souffles are sensational and impressive whether served as a main dish, accompaniment or dessert!
Strictly speaking, a true souffle consists of a thick white sauce blended with beaten egg yolks and leavened by stiffly beaten whites. It may also contain finely chopped or pureed meats, cheese, seafood or vegetables and is always served hot. Condensed cream soups or quick-cooking tapioca cooked in milk is sometimes substituted for the white sauce. For sweet or dessert souffles sugar is added to the sauce.
Like so many skills, making a successful souffle is easy when you know how. A mastery of the following basics will have you turning out souffles with the best of them.
If you don't have a traditional souffle dish, use a straight-sided casserole dish or even a straight-sided uncoated saucepan of the proper size. For individual servings. large custard cups or ovenproof coffee or soup mugs are satisfactory. As it bakes, the souffle will increase in volume 2 to 3 times, so container size is important. If the container is too large, the mixture will not rise above the rim and have the lofty look that is part of a souffle’s charm If the container is too small, the mixture may run over. Usually a 4-egg souffle will fit a 1-1/2 to 2-quart container. Use a 2 to 2-1/2 quart container for a 6-egg souffle. The container may be filled to within 1/2 inch of the top.
A souffle needs to cling to the sides of the container to reach its maximum height, so the container should not be buttered. However, buttering the sides and bottom of the container and then dusting them lightly with grated Parmesan cheese, cornmeal or very fine crumbs lends flavor and a nice crusty texture. For dessert souffles, dust with sugar.
If you find your technique produces souffle mixtures which are light and voluminous, or if you don't have a container of the suggested size, you can keep the souffle in bounds by fitting a collar around the top of the container. Make a 4-inch band of triple thickness aluminum foil long enough to go around the container and overlap 2 inches. Butter and dust the band. Wrap it around the outside of the dish with the buttered side in and fasten with paper clips or string. The collar should extend 2 to 3 inches above the rim of the container.
Some tips: An unbaked souffle can wait in its dish in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before you send it to the oven.
Don't open the oven door to peek for at least the first 25 minutes of baking time. A cool draft might deflate it.
Hurry the finished souffle to the table. It is an age-old rule that guests wait for the souffle, not the souffle for the guests!
Serve by gently breaking the souffle into portions with 2 back-to-back forks. Spoon out lightly, including some of the top and side crusts and softer center with each serving. -see Souffle Cold
