Secrets to whipping a souffle into shape

fast-ed.com.au

IN MY time I have met far too many chefs suffering from a serious culinary case of PTSD — Post Traumatic Souffle Anxiety.

Floppy, fallen, flaccid, faulty, fractured and failed. There are myriad ways a souffle can disappoint, yet perfecting it is within the grasp of every cook. Almost more than any other recipe, mastering this dessert is absolutely a matter of simply following the rules.

For starters, you actually don’t want the freshest eggs. Hard to believe, but it’s true.

As egg whites age, the water and protein components of the whites begin to separate slightly, making it easier to whip them to a silky meringue.

Even more importantly, cleanliness truly is next to dessertiness. Fat interferes with the way the proteins in egg whites unravel, then knot together to trap air. So, wash all your gear really well, and dry with a paper towel, never a tea towel.

Using just a small amount of cream of tartar is a chef’s tip that everyone should claim as their own.

It makes the whites slightly more alkali, which allows the proteins to trap more air, more quickly, meaning there is less likelihood of overwhipping.

And speaking of which, the main reason souffles fail is overbeating the whites. Remember, the meringue must be able to stretch and expand, and if it has been beaten until stiff it cracks instead, resulting in a drytextured yet strangely watery result.

These tips, plus making sure your base custard is warm, will get you most of the way there. Beyond that, just keep in mind that a wonky souffle tastes just as good so maybe turn the lights down!

Peach souffle Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

30g unsalted butter 200g caster sugar 360ml milk

4 eggs, separated Seeds of 1 vanilla bean 40g cornflour

2 egg whites ½ tsp cream of tartar ¼ cup peach puree

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190C and place a heavy tray or pizza stone on the middle shelf, ensuring that there is room for the souffles to rise when baking. Grease the inside of four ¾-cup ramekins with butter and dust with 50g caster sugar, ensuring the surface is perfectly coated, including on the upward-facing edge of the ramekin’s lip.

2. Pour the milk into a large saucepan and set over a moderate heat to boil. Whisk the yolks, 50g sugar, vanilla seeds and cornflour in a bowl, then whisk in the hot milk. Return to the saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened. Set aside until just warm.

3. Place all of the egg whites into a perfectly clean large bowl with the cream of tartar and whisk together until foamy. Add in the remaining sugar 1 tbsp at a time, until the whites reach soft peaks only.

4. Whisk the flavouring into the custard base, then fold in ¼ of the meringue. Fold in the remaining meringue gently, then spoon into the prepared ramekins and bake on the hot tray or pizza stone for 12-15 minutes, until well-risen and golden. Serve immediately.

THE MAIN REASON SOUFFLES FAIL IS OVERBEATING THE WHITES.