Soufflés have a reputation for being difficult to pull off, but they really aren’t so long as you fold the egg whites carefully into the base so they retain their air, and you have your oven at the right temperature. My other trick is to apply a double layer of softened butter to the ramekins in upward strokes to help them rise evenly. If you get the soufflé mixture to the right consistency, it will hold in the fridge for up to 1 ½ hours, so you can make it in advance and bake it just when you need to.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- Milk: ⅔ cup
- Heavy cream: ½ cup
- Sugar: ½ cup
- Egg yolks: 3 large
- All purpose flour: 2 Tbsp
- Cornstarch: 4 tsp
- Unsalted butter: 3 Tbsp, softened for brushing
- Dark chocolate: 1 ounce, finely grated
- Egg whites: 4 large
- Lemon: Zest and juice of 1 large
- Orange: Zest and juice of 1
- Confectioner’s sugar: for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS:
MAKING SOUFFLÉ BASE:
- Pour ⅔ cup milk and ½ cup heavy cream into a pan and scald it.
- Whisk half of the ½ cup sugar with 3 large egg yolks until pale and thick.
- Sift in 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour and 4 tsp cornstarch and whisk again.
- Gradually add the scalded milk while whisking the mixture.
- Pour the mixture back into the pan and stir constantly over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Leave to cool to room temperature.
PREPARING SOUFFLÉ MOLDS:
- Brush four 8-ounce soufflé molds or ramekins with the softened butter in upward vertical strokes.
- Chill the molds for a few minutes, then repeat with a second layer of butter.
- Sprinkle grated dark chocolate into each mold, shake it around to cover the inside completely, and tip out any excess.
- Chill the molds until needed.
BAKING SOUFFLÉ:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Whisk 4 large egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar and whisk until thick and glossy.
- Whisk lemon and orange zest into the soufflé base, and then whisk in ½ cup of lemon and orange juice.
- Whisk a third of the egg white mixture into the soufflé base to loosen it.
- Carefully fold in the rest of the egg whites with a large metal spoon until evenly distributed.
- Fill each mold to the top and tap each one once on the work surface to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Smooth the surface with a small palette knife.
- Run the tip of your finger around the inside edge of the molds to separate the mixture from the dish, then place on a baking sheet.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 15–20 minutes or until risen with a slight wobble in the middle.
- Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.
