Honey souffles

Serves 4

For the souffle dishes, you will need:

15g butter 25g caster sugar

For the souffles, you will need:

125ml milk Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon 2 eggs 50ml honey 1 tablespoon cornflour, sifted Pinch of salt 25g caster sugar

You will also need:

15g caster sugar A dusting of icing sugar, to serve Ice cream, to serve (optional) 1 You will also need four 100ml-capacity ramekins or ovenproof cups. Rub the 15g of butter around the insides of the souffle moulds, then dust them with the 25g of caster sugar. This will create a lovely light crust on the outside of the souffles. Set the prepared containers aside. 2 Put the milk and the finely grated lemon zest in a saucepan on a low-to-medium heat. Bring it to the boil, then set it aside. 3 Separate the eggs. Put the egg whites in a mixing bowl and the egg yolks in another mixing bowl. Add the honey, the sifted cornflour and the salt to the bowl with the egg yolks, and whisk until everything is thoroughly mixed. Pour the milk and lemon zest mixture through a sieve onto the honey, cornflour, salt and egg yolk mixture, whisking as you pour, making sure it’s properly mixed. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan that previously contained the milk and the lemon zest. Place it on a low-to-medium heat, whisking all the time — it will thicken as it heats up. Don’t stop whisking or you’ll get a lumpy custard. Once it’s thickened and smooth, take it off the heat and transfer the custard into a bowl to cool a little, until it’s tepid. This may take up to 10 minutes. Stir it regularly to cool it faster. If there are any lumps, push the custard through a sieve. 4 When the custard has cooled to tepid, you can start whisking the egg whites. Using an electric beater, whisk them for a minute or two until they turn frothy, then add the caster sugar gradually, while whisking all the time. Continue whisking until the mixture forms stiff peaks. 5 Using a spatula, fold a quarter of the egg white and sugar mixture into the custard. When it is thoroughly mixed in, tip the remaining egg white and sugar mixture into the custard and fold it in very gently, trying not to knock out any air. Divide the mixture between the prepared souffle dishes, making sure to smooth over the tops with a spatula or palette knife. Clean off any mixture that may have dripped onto the sides of the dishes — see Rachel Recommends, far left. 6 The souffles can now either be baked, stored for later in the fridge for up to 3 hours, or they can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 week. Cover them with cling film once they’re frozen, or place them in a plastic storage box. 7 To bake the souffles, preheat the oven to 180°C, 356°F, Gas 4. Place a baking tray in the oven to preheat also. If you are using frozen souffles, make sure to remove them from the freezer an hour before baking. Scatter the 15g of sugar over the top of the souffles just before they go into the oven, and bake them for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown on top and have risen 1cm to 2cm above the tops of the ramekin dishes. When you gently press the centre of the souffle with your finger, it should have a very light spring. The baking time will vary according to the size of the souffle dishes. Remove the souffles from the oven and place them on plates. Dust the tops of the souffles with icing sugar, and if you are using it, carefully place a scoop of ice cream on top. Serve immediately.