{"id":2024,"date":"2018-05-31T10:16:42","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T16:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwyoextension.org\/uwnutrition\/?p=2024"},"modified":"2024-02-05T13:21:24","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T20:21:24","slug":"souffle-secrets","status":"publish","type":"newsletters","link":"https:\/\/uwyoextension.org\/uwnutrition\/newsletters\/souffle-secrets\/","title":{"rendered":"Souffl\u00e9 Secrets"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

A hallmark of French cooking, the souffl\u00e9 is magical. Making a souffl\u00e9 is a simple process, despite its reputation for being difficult to make. It uses air to transform eggs into a masterpiece, puffing, and browning in the oven before collapsing at first bite.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\"Souffle\"<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The word itself comes from \u201csouffler,\u201d meaning \u201cto breathe\u201d or \u201cto puff,\u201d which is what the whites do to the base once they hit the oven\u2019s heat. A souffl\u00e9 has two main components, a flavorful base and glossy beaten egg whites, which are gently folded together just before baking.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The Basics<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are all kinds of souffl\u00e9, yet what they all share in common is their two constituent parts: a base made of flavored cream sauce or puree and a soft meringue made of beaten egg whites. The base of a souffl\u00e9 gives it its flavor, while the meringue gives it its texture.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The base may be made either savory or sweet. Savory souffl\u00e9s usually incorporate cheese, vegetables, meat, or seafood. They require a substantial and stable base, in the form of a cooked sauce that often involves butter, egg yolks, and some kind of starch. Sweet souffl\u00e9s make spectacular desserts. The base can be made from a fruit pur\u00e9e, or a sweet, rich sauce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Steps for Success<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are a few simple things to keep in mind before you get started, and then you will be ready for souffl\u00e9 mastery. Here are a few tips to make sure you succeed every time you set out to bake this light, airy treat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1. The souffl\u00e9 has a pan created just for it, a deep ceramic dish with straight sides. The straight sides of the traditional souffl\u00e9 dish help the souffl\u00e9 to climb and hold itself up. The souffl\u00e9 mixture should fill the dish to about 1\/2 inch from the top. If the dish is too small, the souffl\u00e9 will overflow; if too big, it may not rise above the rim and look elegant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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. Let the whites stand at room temperature for at least 20 minutes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

3. Keep the yolks separate from the whites. Fat from egg yolk will prevent egg whites from beating properly. When separating eggs, take care that no yolk gets in the whites. To avoid an accident, separate each egg white into a cup or small bowl before transferring it to the mixer bowl. Discard any white that has a speck of yolk in it!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

4. Use a clean, oil-free stainless steel bowl (not plastic) to whip the eggs. A pinch of salt added to the half-whisked whites for savory souffl\u00e9s or a little sugar to the half-whisked whites for sweet souffl\u00e9s will help to maintain volume.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Pay attention to whether your recipe calls for soft peaks, whites that lean to one side stiff peaks, or whites that stand straight. For stiff peaks, the whites should be just starting to lose their shine. Don\u2019t overbeat, which will make the foam turn grainy and dry, or underbeat, which won\u2019t give the proper lift. If you overbeat your whites, you might be able to rescue them by beating in another egg white. This often restores them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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5. Gentle folding is the key to maintaining volume. Begin by pouring the egg yolk mixture over the beaten whites. Then gradually and gently combine the mixtures by folding, rather than stirring. Using a rubber spatula, start with a downward stroke into the bowl, continue across the bottom, up the side, and over the top of the mixture. Come up through the center every few strokes and rotate the bowl often as you fold. Stop folding when the streaks of white have just disappeared or rather, when they have almost disappeared. A few white streaks are preferable to overfolding, which deflates the batter.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

6. Buttering the souffl\u00e9 dish, then coating the soft butter with something with a bit of texture, is essential for the rise. If the souffl\u00e9 dish were to be just buttered, the souffl\u00e9 would slip down the sides instead of climbing. An additional thin coating of granulated sugar, cookie crumbs, ground nuts, breadcrumbs, or grated cheese creates a rough texture for the egg whites to hold onto as they rise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

7. Once you’ve filled the dish, run your thumb or a knife around the rim to give it a ‘top hat’ appearance. This will help it rise and keep its shape.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

8. Make sure the oven and a baking sheet are preheated! That initial hot blast expands the air trapped inside the bubbly foam of batter, which makes it rise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

9. Use the window of your oven to monitor the souffl\u00e9, and do not open the oven door until you see the souffl\u00e9 puff up over the sides of the dish! A souffl\u00e9 is done baking when it has risen above the rim of the dish and is nicely browned on top. It should feel mostly firm and only slightly jiggly when you lightly tap the top.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

10. A souffl\u00e9 is not a dish to make ahead of time! Make sure everyone is at the table waiting and ready to admire your masterpiece as you take the souffl\u00e9 from the oven. All souffl\u00e9s 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.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You don’t need to be a French chef to make a successful souffl\u00e9. With practice, anyone can master this art! Whichever souffl\u00e9 recipe you choose, it is sure to garner oohs and aahs from those about to be pleased with its taste and texture.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator<\/p>\r\n

Sources:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n