Culinary Chemistry. That’s the name of this column. But, not every recipe is actual “chemistry.” Adding a smoky porter beer to a pot of chili will change the flavor of the dish, but it’s not going to inspire a chain reaction of physical changes. If you want to get to the root of kitchen chemistry, you have to don your baker’s hat and turn the oven on. Baking—at it’s core—is chemistry. And at the top of the baking food chain is the all famous soufflé. Literally translating to “blow” or “puff up,” the chemical-reacting soufflé is quintessential to classical French cuisine.
With its longstanding history as the créme de la créme of French baking, the soufflé has experienced many transformations over the years. There are savory soufflés, sweet soufflés, ice cream soufflés, potato soufflés and even—you guessed it—boozy soufflés. As intimidating as soufflés appear, they’re not as challenging as the hype suggests. A little patience, a cautious eye and a bit of practice is all you need to create this French delight. Well, that and a slosh of Finnriver’s Cacao and Pear Brandy Wine. The fragrant flavor of pear matched with subtle notes of chocolate in this fruit wine adds delicate flavor to this equally dainty dessert, while a hint of lemon lifts it up, giving this soufflé a citrusy flair that’s perfect for summer.
Note: As with any recipe, read this one through in full before firing up the oven. Preparation is key to creating this soufflé without a hitch.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 soufflés
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons butter at room temperature
3 egg yolks
⅓ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup Finnriver’s Cacao and Pear Brandy Wine
1 cup milk
5 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
butter (for ramekins)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. Generously butter six ramekins. Set aside.
Bring a teapot of water to a boil and set aside. (This will be used for a water bath).
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine sugar, lemon and vanilla. With a hand mixer, beat in egg yolks (one at a time). Once combined, slowly add flour and salt. Beat on low speed until all ingredients are combined. Slowly whisk in brandy wine and milk. (Mixture should resemble a thin pancake batter.) Once combined, set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed. Once eggs begin to froth, add cream of tartar and increase speed to high until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Fold the egg whites into the batter slowly, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
Once combined, spoon batter into the ramekins, filling each one to the top. (The soufflés will rise, but they will not spill over the side of the ramekins.) Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and add hot water to pan. The water bath will help control the temperature in the oven and ensure that the soufflés are light, fluffy and evenly cooked.
Place pan with ramekins on the center rack of the oven and cook for about 30 minutes, or until soufflés are puffy and golden brown.
Remove from water bath and serve immediately or let cool. You can puncture the tops of the soufflés and serve with a dollop of cream, or enjoy as is.
Note: The longer your soufflés rest, the more likely they will be to fall. For pristine presentation, serve immediately.
This recipe was inspired by Joy the Baker’s recipe for Lemon Souffle Pudding.
