Vanilla Soufflé
Recipe information
Yield
for a 6-cup soufflé dish, serving 4 people
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the soufflé dish and affix the paper collar as directed on page 72. Slide the rack onto the lower-third level of the oven, and preheat to 400°F.
Step 2
Whisk the flour and half the milk in a saucepan. When well blended, whisk in the remaining milk and the 1/3 cup sugar. Then bring to the boil and boil slowly, whisking, for 30 seconds. This is now a bouillie. Remove from heat; let cool for a moment, then, one by one, beat in the yolks and the optional butter.
Step 3
Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, sprinkle in the 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat to stiff, shining peaks (see page 100). Whisk the vanilla into the sauce base, then whisk in a quarter of the whites to lighten it. Delicately fold in remaining whites and turn the mixture into the prepared dish.
Step 4
Set in the oven, reduce heat to 375°F, and bake until the soufflé has begun to puff and brown—about 20 minutes. Rapidly slide out rack, and dust the top of the soufflé with confectioners’ sugar. Continue baking until it has puffed high into the collar. When is it done? See page 73.
Step 5
Remove collar and serve at once.
VARIATIONS
Step 6
ORANGE SOUFFLÉ GRAND MARNIER. Follow the master recipe above, but purée the zest (colored part of peel) of a large orange with the 1/3 cup sugar in a blender or food processor, and use in the sauce base. Stir only 2 teaspoons vanilla into the base, but add 3 tablespoons orange liqueur.
Step 7
CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉ. Follow the preceding master recipe, but prepare a 2-quart dish to serve 8. Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 7 ounces semisweet chocolate with 1/3 cup strong coffee (see page 103). Make sauce base as directed in master recipe, using 1/3 cup flour and 2 cups milk; whisk at the slow boil for 2 minutes. Off heat, beat in 3 tablespoons optional butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, a big pinch of salt, 4 egg yolks, and the melted chocolate. Whip 6 egg whites to soft peaks, add 1/2 cup sugar and whip to shiny peaks (see page 100). Combine by ladling chocolate base down sides of egg-white bowl and folding rapidly to combine. Turn mixture into dish, set into oven, reduce to 375°F, and bake for 40 minutes, or until puff starts. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and bake until done (see page 73). Serve with lightly whipped crème Chantilly (page 101).
