This very classic French dessert is fun to make, but it also requires a little care. A soufflé contains eggs, and when eggs are cooked they become firm, so a well-cooked soufflé is firm, too, but only for a short time. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to remove your soufflé from the oven — if it falls, it is not cooked enough.

Ingredients

60ml Grand Marnier
310ml Crème pâtissière, chilled
6 large egg whites
pinch cream of tartar
1 tablespoon caster sugar
icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Butter six 185 ml soufflé moulds and dust with caster (superfine) sugar.

Whisk the Grand Marnier into the crème pâtissière.

Using electric beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until almost stiff. Add the sugar and beat until firm.

Using a large metal spoon or rubber spatula, mix a little of the egg white into the crème pâtissière, then gently fold in the remaining egg white.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared moulds and smooth the tops with a spatula. The mixture should not touch the rim of the moulds.

Bake for 5 minutes, then increase the temperature to 205°C. Bake for a further 5 minutes, then increase the temperature to 230°C and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Remove the soufflés from the oven, dust with a little icing sugar and serve immediately. If a short delay is unavoidable, leave in the oven at the lowest possible temperature for a few more minutes.

Keep the celebrations going all week with this collection of classic French recipes from Cooked– think camembert fondue, crêpes, chocolate terrine, and croissants.

Recipe appears courtesy of Cooked.com.au.

This recipe first appeared in 100 Best Cakes and Desserts by Gabriel Gate.