The soufflé
Yet you followed the recipe to the letter, you even managed to beat the egg whites until stiff ...
In short, these soufflés ... is it possible that you will never succeed?
Don't despair! Here are the golden rules, tips and tricks for preparing a slap-up soufflé!
> The basic principle
A souffle is an egg-based dish. Its preparation always takes place in 2 phases: it starts by beating the egg yolks, creating a kind of cream (sweet or salty) and then adding the whipped egg whites. It is they who will allow the compound to swell.
> The choice of dish
Traditionally, molds or soufflé containers are used, narrow containers with high edges. This characteristic will allow the mixture to swell rising along the walls of the container, up to exceed the edge of the mold.
Furthermore, it is better to ensure a homogeneous distribution of heat. From this point of view, terracotta containers are perfect, because they allow to associate a diffused heat and its optimal conservation.
Do not forget that a soufflé, swelling, rises: do not fill more than ¾ of the container! Otherwise, overflow and catastrophe are guaranteed!
> Beat the eggs until stiff
This is the most important step in all souffle recipes.
- Start by getting the right tools: electric mixer or food processor they are indispensable, unless you want to have arm pain for a week ...
- Whether your souffe is salty or sweet, always think about adding a pinch of salt to the egg whites before starting to beat them.
- Eggs must be at room temperature.
- There must be no trace of yolk or fat in the egg whites.
- Finally, if you use a mixer or a robot at different speeds, start by beating the egg whites at the lowest one, and then gradually increase the speed.
The egg whites will be quite firm when the whisk leaves traces in the "snow". You need to be able to turn the bowl upside down without the eggs falling out.
> The rules for good cooking
The rule to always keep in mind? Do not open never the oven during the first 15 minutes of cooking of a souffle. The temperature range would be guaranteed, and the soufflé would deflate in the blink of an eye! To avoid sudden changes in temperature, also think about preheat the oven.
> Tips
Everyone has their own secret to making sure that their soufflé swell and not sag when it comes out of the oven. Here are some of the most effective tips:
- After pouring the mixture into the mold (up to 3/4), pass a wet knife on the walls: the soufflé will rise more easily.
- Add a tablespoon of starch in the eggs whipped until stiff.
- The mold must be perfectly clean.
- For a salty soufflé, butter the mold, flour it and remove the excess flour by turning the container and giving it a sharp blow. Grease the edge of the mold again (which has been in contact with the work surface) and do not touch it again! The mold must not present no trace of fingers!
- For your sweet soufflé recipes, butter the mold and proceed as for a savory soufflé, replacing the flour with sugar.
Finally, don't forget that, as they say: guests are waiting for the soufflé, but the soufflé is waiting for no one! It must be eaten immediately, just out of the oven.
Now that you know the technique, try all of our souffle recipes!
