How to rise to the occasion – every time

One of the first soufflés I ever ate was in Paris, in Le Soufflé restaurant at 36 rue du Mont-Thabor, 75001, behind rue de Rivoli. In fact I had three soufflés during that meal – an entree, a main, and a dessert.

From memory the dessert was called Soufflé Marquise – stabbed with a spoon at the table and filled with fresh cream before it could collapse. Ah, cholesterol heaven! Another dessert I recall was Soufflé Grand Marnier – liqueur substituting for cream.

Soufflé, from the verb souffler, which means “to blow up” or “puff up” is a rather accurate description of what happens to the combination of a base, usually of flavored cream sauce or purée which transports the flavor, and beaten egg whites which create the lift. For good results, don’t open the oven until the whites have set, otherwise the soufflé is liable to collapse and not rise again.

After discovering the restaurant, I made it my business to eat there every time I went to Paris, until I left the UK in 1985. Now, having not been to Paris for more than a decade, I am delighted to learn from an article in London’s Daily Telegraph that Le Soufflé is still in business.

For another’s culinary adventures in Paris see blog ‘Ms Glaze’s Pommes d’Amour‘

And for another perspective see the blog Waiter Rant [thanks! Joe]

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In case the Telegraph’s article disappears, I copy the text here from ~ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/wine/main.jhtml?xml=/wine/2007/04/14/edxanthexc114… :

Xanthe Clay reveals the art of making the perfect soufflé

Depending on who you listen to, a soufflé is the riskiest dish of all to cook, or something so easy an eight-year-old could throw one together. The truth, as ever, lies somewhere in between. Soufflés are simple, but they do require an understanding of the engineering of the dish to be a success. Soufflé secrets: it’s a risky business In search of the secret to the perfect soufflé, I’ve come to a restaurant in Paris, tucked away behind the rue de Rivoli, just around the corner from the Tuileries Gardens. Since 1961, Le Soufflé restaurant has been serving soufflés, soufflés and more soufflés, along with a token terrine or two. The original owner, Claude Rigaud, a dapper Bob Hoskins lookalike, is here to greet us. My A-level French is distinctly rusty, so thank goodness Telegraph reader and Paris resident Angela Cotterell has agreed to interpret. Down in the basement kitchen, it’s soon clear that Monsieur Rigaud has found a simple formula. Sweet and savoury egg whites are constantly being beaten, pots of bases are readily at hand, so it’s just a case of combining the ingredients and putting the filled dishes in the oven. They cook between 300 and 450 soufflés a day, getting through 360 eggs and an additional 1.5 litres of egg whites. The key difference between restaurant soufflés and home made is stability. While a soufflé at home can be whisked from oven to table in 10 seconds, a restaurant soufflé must be able to hold on without sinking while the waiter gets to the kitchen and survive being rushed through a restaurant with jolts and delays, not to mention draughts from open doors. It must arrive at table still teeteringly high – soufflés are, after all, about theatre. Chef Pascal shows me how to beat the egg whites super stiff, then warm the Grand Marnier-flavoured base mixture a little to soften it. Then I gently but briskly fold the two together, turning the bowl all the while. The next step is to pour the soufflé mix into the dishes, but I make a mess of it. There’s much tutting. I’m taught to nudge the mixture softly into the dish. It’s filled to the brim, even a little over, and smoothed with a pallet knife, before being slipped into a hot oven. Out it comes 10 minutes later, tall and bronze. “Pas mal,” shrugs the chef. I should say so. With a good slug of orange liqueur on top, Angela and I agree that it’s soufflé heaven. Le Soufflé is at 36 rue du Mont-Thabor, 75001 Paris (01.42.60.27.19) MAKING A SOUFFLÉ AT HOME A soufflé is just a flavoured base into which beaten egg whites are folded. The heat of the oven expands the air in the egg white and stiffens the proteins to create the soufflé, risen and golden on the outside, but still soft and creamy inside. As it cools, the air contracts and the soufflé sinks. THE DISH Most ovenproof dishes will work but the best have straight sides, which helps the mix rise, and are fairly deep, so that the centre cooks more slowly and stays creamy. One large dish is easiest, but the soufflé doesn’t serve up well and looks rather deflated on the plates. Individual dishes mean that everyone gets to break into their own golden crust. Le Soufflé uses generous dishes with a capacity of nearly three quarters of a pint (400ml). That’s great for a main course but rather gluttonous as a starter or pudding, when a ramekin holding about 5floz/140ml is plenty. Ovenproof tea cups make a pretty alternative to ramekins. Prepare your dish or dishes by brushing the inside with melted butter. Tip in breadcrumbs or grated Parmesan (for savoury soufflés) or caster sugar (for sweet soufflés). Turn the dish so that the inside is well coated: this gritty layer helps the mixture climb, and also adds texture and flavour. THE SOUFFLÉ BASE For savoury soufflés, use a base of thick white sauce, or béchamel, enriched with egg yolks. The best sweet soufflés are based on a crème pâtissière (flour-thickened custard). Both béchamel and crème pâtissière can be made at least a couple of days in advance, and the flavourings can be added several hours ahe ad. Warm the chilled mixture slightly before adding the egg whites or it’ll be too thick. Season the mixture well. With the flavouring added, the base should taste just a little too strong, since the air and egg whites will dilute it.

Consistency is key. Too runny and it will sink to the bottom during cooking like one of those self-saucing puddings. Too thick and the soufflé won’t rise well. Aim for the texture of a pot of mustard.

THE EGG WHITES

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. They shouldn’t slide out if the bowl is turned upside down, but the foam shouldn’t crack or look curdled either.

For sweet soufflés, add a tablespoonful of caster sugar for each egg white and whisk again until the mix is stiff and glossy.

Using more egg whites than there are yolks in the base makes a super-light soufflé. To measure them, reckon on 2 tbsp/30ml for a large egg white. In any case, there should be about twice the volume of beaten egg white to base mixture.

Le Soufflé adds white wine vinegar and dried egg white (find it in the cake decorating section in the supermarket) to the egg whites before beating them. This makes for a very stiff, mousse-like foam and is a useful trick when extra stability is needed – if, perhaps, the dining room is a draughty corridor away from the oven. Allow half a teaspoon each of vinegar and egg white powder for each fresh egg white.

For a more even rise, run your finger around the inside edge of the dish before baking to make a groove in the mixture and wipe away the top half inch of the sugar or breadcrumb lining.

Baking the dish on a hot oven tray gives extra rise (thanks to reader Donna Perdue for this tip), but if the mixture is not very stiff it may run over, so underfill the dish by a little.

GETTING AHEAD

Individual soufflés can be made a couple of hours ahead, bar the final baking, but they’ll lose volume. It’s better to freeze the soufflés and bake them from frozen, allowing an extra 5 minutes or so of cooking time. To check that they’re done, stick a metal skewer into the centre of one. It should be almost hot through.

CRÈME PÃTISSIÉRE

Enough for 6-8 little soufflés

4 egg yolks 4 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp plain flour 10 floz/280ml milk Half a vanilla pod Beat the yolks and sugar together until pale and thick. Stir in the flour. Bring the milk to just below boiling point and add the vanilla pod. Draw off the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Take out the vanilla pod, and whisk the milk gradually into the egg yolk mixture, making sure there are no lumps (blitz it with a hand blender if they persist). Bring slowly to a simmer and cook very gently for 4 minutes, whisking constantly. Use immediately, or scrape into a small bowl and cover with clingfilm, pressing it right on to the surface, and leave to cool. It will keep for two days in the fridge. BÉCHAMEL A perfect béchamel should be made with milk that has been heated with half an onion, a bay leaf and a few peppercorns, and left to infuse. Failing that, a bay leaf added to the béchamel as it simmers will improve the flavour enormously. 1oz/30g butter 1oz/30g flour ½ pint/285ml milk, infused as above Melt the butter and stir in the flour. Cook gently for a minute, then stir in the milk. Bring to the boil, whisking assiduously as it heats and thickens. Simmer on the gentlest of heats for 4 minutes, whisking occasionally. It should be thick, but still of a pouring consistency, like fruit yogurt.

Use or cover with clingfilm and cool. It will keep for two days in the fridge.

GRUYÉRE SOUFFLÉ

Using lots of cheese for this classic soufflé makes it unbelievably good.

Makes 6

6 ramekins, insides brushed with melted butter and coated with grated Parmesan One quantity of béchamel, as before 7oz/200g Gruyère, or a mixture of Gruyère and Cheddar, grated 4 eggs, separated Grated nutmeg Pepper Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Heat the béchamel until just below boiling point. Take off the heat and add the cheese. Stir until smooth, then mix in the egg yolks. Taste the mixture and season with nutmeg and pepper. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Spinach soufflé Fold the cheese mixture into the egg whites and scrape into the ramekins, filling them to the top. Level off with a spatula, then run a fingertip around the very edge of each ramekin to make a groove in the mixture. Bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden. SPINACH SOUFFLÉ Makes 6 6 ramekins, insides brushed with melted butter and coated with grated Parmesan One quantity of béchamel, as before A teacupful of cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped 4 eggs, separated Grated nutmeg 6 tinned anchovies, chopped Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/ gas mark 7. Heat the béchamel until soft and mix in the spinach and the egg yolk s. Taste the mixture and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Sprinkle a few chopped anchovies into the bottom of each ramekin, then fold the spinach mixture into the egg whites and scrape into the ramekins, filling them to the top. Level off with a spatula, then run your fingertip around the very edge of each ramekin to make a groove in the mix. Bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden. Raspberry soufflé mix RASPBERRY SOUFFLÉ Put some cold single cream on the table to trickle into these intensely flavoured soufflés. Makes 8 8 ramekins, insides brushed with melted butter and coated with caster sugar One quantity of crème pâtissière, see earlier recipe 10oz/300g raspberries, fresh or frozen, rubbed through a sieve 4 egg whites 4 tbsp caster sugar Icing sugar, to serve Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Mix the crème pâtissière and the raspberry purée. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add the sugar and whisk again until thick and glossy. Fold the egg whites into the raspberry mixture and scrape into the prepared ramekins. Fill them right to the top and level off with a spatula. Bake for 10-12 minutes until well risen and golden. Dust with icing sugar and serve. GOOD THINGS TO ADD TO A SWEET SOUFFLÉ BASE A cupful of puréed and sieved poached pears, flavoured with a little thyme A cupful of sieved poached rhubarb or gooseberries, with a dash of Pernod 7oz/200g sugar cooked to a caramel, then quickly whisked into the crème pâtissière 3½oz/100g chocolate, preferably 70 per cent cocoa solids, melted. Serve with more chocolate sauce to pour over Zest of a lemon and a squeeze of juice Zest of an orange and a dash of Grand Marnier GOOD THINGS TO ADD TO A SAVOURY SOUFFLÉ BASE 7oz/200g mushrooms, finely chopped and sautéed until dry A double handful of mixed herbs, finely chopped, and a little grated Parmesan A cupful of cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped, and some chopped anchovies A small fillet of smoked haddock, cooked and flaked, and half a cupful of grated Cheddar

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More soufflé recipes, exclusively for Telegraph.co.uk

Pear soufflé PEAR SOUFFLÉ Makes 8 8 ramekins, insides brushed with melted butter and coated with castor sugar One quantity of crème patissiere, see main piece 4 large firm pears, peeled, cored and chopped 6tbsp castor sugar 4egg whites icing sugar to serve Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Put the chopped pear in a pan with enough water to barely cover and 2tbsp sugar. Simmer until the water has nearly all evaporated and the pear is soft, then puree with a hand blender (or in a food processor). Measure out a teacupful (8floz/225ml) of the puree (keep any left to eat with yoghurt) and mix with the crème patissiere. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then add the rest of the sugar and whisk again until thick and glossy. Fold the egg whites into the pear mixture, and scrape into the prepared ramekins. Fill them right to the top and level off with a spatula. Bake for ten-twelve minutes until well risen and golden. Dust with icing sugar before serving. GOAT’S CHEESE SOUFFLÉS WITH RED ONION MARMALADE This recipe, from Primrose Ridley Thomas in Portugal, makes a punchy starter or a light lunch. Follow with just a green salad. 6 ramekins, brushed with melted butter and coated with grated parmesan 4 tsp butter 4 tsp plain flour 6tbsp milk 7oz/200gms goats cheese, crumbled 5 egg whites 3 egg yolks squeeze lemon juice Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Melt the butter and stir in the flour, followed by the milk. Cook, stirring, to make a thick sauce. Off the heat, stir in three quarters of the cheese, followed by the egg yolks. Whisk the whites until stiff, adding lemon juice towards the end. Fold the whites into the cheese mixture. Pour into the ramekins, top with the rest of the cheese, and cook the souffles for 10 minutes. RED ONION MARMALADE In a heavy bottomed pan, cook 4 thinly sliced r ed onions in a little olive oil until meltingly soft. Splash in a glassful of port and bubble until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Season with salt, pepper and a little sugar if necessary.

Happy Easter!

Easter Island

The illustration is of a lone statue (moai) on Easter Island in the SE Pacific Ocean, west of Chile. This photo showing a rainbow apparently intersecting a moai seems appropriate at Eastertide.

A little information about Easter Island / Rapa Nui / Isla de Pascua:

The first recorded European visit was by Dutch Admiral Jacob Roggeveen on Easter Sunday, 1722.

Population: about 3,800. Language Spanish or Rapa Nui.
Currency, preferably Chilean pesos. Dollars OK. There is one ATM on the island.
Distance from Chile, 3,800 kms [2,375miles]. Distance from Tahiti [the next island], 4,050 kms. Thus this is the most remote inhabited island in the world.

There are hundreds of moai [stone carved statues] on the island; sources differ on the precise number. Easter Island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Rapa Nui is triangular, 23km long by 11km wide, and was created by the eruption of three volcanoes that are still visible. The total area of Rapa Nui is 171 sq kms. There are just two sandy beaches, on the north coast.
Climate: subtropical with an annual average temperature of 20C. Coldest month, August [15C-18C]. Hottest month February [24C-27C]. Wettest month, May [16cm of rain]. The driest month is September. Main tourist season the drier months – September to April.

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Eating fish is traditional on Good Friday and during Easter. The following sonnet (quoted by Andrew Cusack on his site) from the Peter Simple column in the London Daily Telegraph might appeal.

‘To a Fishfinger‘

Thou shape impacted of Old Ocean’s heart,
With frost imbu’d and golden crumbs bedight,
Casual thy vending and thy worth too light:
How soon thy form symmetric must depart!
In rangéd boxes at the supermart
Thou bidest with thy fellows day and night,
Nor dream’st thou’ll’t scale some culinary height –
Who fries and serve thee needs no subtile art!
And yet for thee the stalwart seaman rov’d
‘Mid tempests’ rage; and Iceland’s anger keen
Endur’d; nor glimpsed ‘mid perils dire the end
Sublime: that thou, scorned digit, should’st be so lov’d
Dearer than pizza or th’ entinnéd bean,
For solitary men both food and friend!

(From The Oxford Book of Esperanto Verse, edited and translated by Julian Birdbath)”