Fluffy Comforting Earl Grey Soufflé Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good 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.

If the custard has a starch — i.e., flour — in it, the starch makes the egg less delicate and negates the need for a water bath. That distinction got me thinking about soufflés, because they're basically a heavy-on-the-whites version of a custard that has to be baked in a water bath.

A successful cheese soufflé is light, airy, and delicately savory. The whipped, folded-in egg whites give the soufflé its unique, fluffy texture.

If the egg whites are not mixed enough, they will be too heavy to rise, but if they are over-whipped they will collapse in the oven. Finally, and most problematically, any cross-contamination between yolks and whites will cause the whole concoction to collapse, which is the bane of many dessert chefs' days.

How do you make soufflés that don't collapse? Egg whites beaten to stiff peaks and carefully folded into the other ingredients are the key to a well risen souffle. The other trick to help them rise is giving them something to hold on to.

Mustard and cayenne pepper or hot sauce add subtle flavor to the soufflé but are not absolutely necessary. Cream of tartar is not required, but it can help prevent accidentally overbeating the egg whites; if you have it, you might as well add it.

Most can sit for up to 30 minutes before baking. Others can even be prepared hours in advance. The key is in the ingredients. The lighter the base mixture, the longer it will hold.

Turn into soufflê dish and bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Do not open the oven door. Serve at once. Souffle may be made up ahead and refrigerated as long as 24 hours.

Deliciously crafted souffle made with our savory egg mixture, Neufchâtel, cheddar, Parmesan and romano cheeses.

How long to whip egg whites for soufflé? ›

Savory dishes (such as soufflés) require no sugar. Simply beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). This will take 4 to 5 minutes total.

2 Separate and whip the eggs

The most crucial step in making a souffle is to separate the eggs and whip the whites until stiff peaks form. This creates air bubbles that expand in the oven and lift the souffle.

When the egg mixture is baked in a 350-degree oven, those air bubbles trapped in the egg whites expand, making the souffle rise. The heat also causes the protein to stiffen a bit, and along with the fat from the yolk, it forms a kind of scaffold that keeps the souffle from collapsing.

Souffle Logic: A soufflé is made up of three elements: A base sauce enriched with egg yolks (pastry cream for sweet, béchamel for savory), a filling (anything from cheese to chocolate), and whipped egg whites.

A generous coating of melted butter and sugar helps the soufflé to rise evenly. The sugar helps the soufflé to 'climb' up the ramekin dish. Alternatively, if preparing a ramekin for a savoury soufflé using breadcrumbs instead of sugar.

A quick way to solve the problem is to add a pinch of salt on the egg yolks (not the egg whites!) this will remove the eggy taste.