Classic French Vanilla Soufflé Recipes

CLASSIC FRENCH VANILLA SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 F.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Butter a large soufflé dish and sprinkle in 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, tilting the dish to make sure the entire interior surface is covered.
• Set aside the prepared soufflé dish.
• Bring 1 cup of the milk to just steaming in a medium saucepan set over low-medium heat.
• In a bowl, stir together 5 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, the all-purpose flour, and the remaining 1/3 cup milk until it forms a smooth batter.
• Slowly whisk half of the hot milk into the batter, making sure to combine the ingredients until they are completely smooth-this is called tempering .
• Add the tempered batter back to the hot milk in the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Stir and cook the mixture until it has thickened, about 1 minute.
• Stir the unsalted butter into the mixture until combined.
• Allow batter to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, then stir in the vanilla extract.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they become foamy, and then add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue beating the egg whites at high speed until they hold stiff, glossy peaks.
• Gently stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the vanilla mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining whipped egg whites. The vanilla mixture should be evenly colored and light and bubbly, without egg white streaks or marbling.
• Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared dish and allow it to rest, covered, for up to 30 minutes (or you can bake it right away).
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes (slightly longer at high altitudes) until the soufflé has risen and has a crusty exterior.
• Serve the soufflé with a dusting of confectioners' sugar and a few plump berries, if desired. Enjoy.

VANILLA SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Put the milk in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until steam rises, about 10 minutes. Stir in the granulated sugar to dissolve, then turn off the heat. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the milk. Add the pod as well, cover, and steep for about 15 minutes. Remove the pod and discard. Meanwhile, use a bit of the butter to grease a 2-quart soufflé or other deep baking dish. Sprinkle the dish with granulated sugar and invert it to remove excess sugar. (Hold off on this step if you're going to delay baking the soufflés until later.)
• Put the remaining butter in another small saucepan over medium-low heat. When the foam subsides, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture darkens, about 3 minutes. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the milk, a bit at a time, until the mixture is thick. Let cool for a few minutes, then beat in the egg yolks. (You can prepare this base a few hours in advance of baking; cover tightly and refrigerate; bring back to room temperature before continuing.)
• About an hour before you're ready to serve, preheat the oven to 375°F. Use an electric or hand mixer or whisk to beat the egg whites with the salt until quite stiff. Stir about a third into the sauce to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using a rubber spatula or your hand. Transfer to the prepared dish and bake until the top is brown, the sides are firm, and the center is still quite moist, about 30 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
• Chocolate Soufflé
• Omit the vanilla or not, as you prefer, and add 4 ounces good bittersweet chocolate (like Valrhona, for example), chopped, to the milk as it heats, stirring so the chocolate dissolves.

VANILLA SOUFFLé

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Remove collar and serve at once.
• VARIATIONS
• 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.
• 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).