Homemade Lemon Soufflé? Yes, please!

I think we should make it a soufflé year, don't you?

(recipe and important tips at the end + printable pdf)

What is a soufflé year?

Who knows, I just made it up.

But what I think it could be is a time to try all sorts of exquisite things.

In the last few years I have attempted things in life that may seem daunting.

Especially in the kitchen.

Come to find out, nothing is really that hard.

And that is a wonderful thing to find out.

Happy day, it's a soufflé!

Who said homemade pie crust, and quiche and soufflé, and roasting a moist turkey has to be hard?

It's not.

Sure, it's not as easy as a drive through burger.

But making something as beautiful as a soufflé is soooo gratifying.

Plus, it's delicious.

Airy.

Fresh.

Mmmmm.

I was moving a bunch of books, when a soufflé and quiche book fell out of the pile.

A small 1972 book found for 25cents in a thrift store.

I so enjoyed the intro, and thought, I feel a soufflé obsession coming on 🙂

The book has two sides, one side says Soufflé and Quiche, the other side says Quiche and Soufflé, by Paul Mayer.

I already have a go to quiche recipe I worked up a few years ago.

But soufflé, no.

So, why not try?

I read and understood how to make a basic soufflé.

Then there was a section that said, if you want to make a lemon soufflé, make it like the chocolate soufflé, only use lemon instead of chocolate.

So, I sat down and adapted a recipe from this lil' book.

And guess what?

It worked.

With some tricks for whipping egg whites to perfection.

Like wiping your stainless steal and whisk with lemon juice or white distilled vinegar to remove any oils.

(never use plastic bowls when whipping/beating egg whites to stiff peak, they have oil residue)

I opt for a lemon juice soaked paper towel, but I had already learned that from my beloved friend Rosie over at Sweetapolita.

Egg whites begin foamy, and then go into soft peaks, then stiff peaks which is what you want.

If you get to stiff peaks and keep whipping/beating your egg whites too much, they will turn to liquid, and you will ruin them.  Ahhh! Gasp! Horror!

Stop when you arrive at stiff peaks!

Fold ever so gently into your egg yolk, milk, flour, sugar mixture.

Not the other way around, because pouring something onto your egg whites will ruin them.

Gentle, gentle.

Fold, fold.

Gentle, gentle.

The key is to keep as much air as possible in the mixture (which you created by whipping/beating your egg whites), as this is what creates the rise in the soufflé.

Pour mixture into a well buttered 6 cup ramekin that has been dusted in sugar.

Wrap ramekin in a well buttered piece of wax paper that is snuggly tied around with baker's string.

(if you get a little waxy smoke at first don't worry, it's okay, just turn on your oven vent, it will subside)

Bake.

Bliss!

Remove wax paper…

Oooooo!

Isn't that beautiful?

Feel free to dust with powdered sugar.

A soufflé will be set, with a little bit of a runny center.

If you don't like that, cook a bit longer.

But don't over cook, that would ruin your soufflé.

Make sure you take it out of the oven when golden brown.

It will wobble a little as you take it out of the oven, this is normal.

Oh my!

So perfect.

Easy, heavenly.

Gone in 2 minutes.

Don't be daunted, give it a whirl?

 

Here is a recipe with very important tips.

Seriously.

Follow them, and you will be so happy you did.

 

Homemade Lemon Soufflé

Ingredients:

Well buttered ramekin or soufflé dish that fits 6 cups

(mine is 6.5" in diameter and 3" tall)

3/4 cup milk

Grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

7 tablespoons super fine sugar (or regular granulated sugar)

(plus extra for dusting)

3 tablespoons butter (use regular salted butter)

(plus extra butter for buttering bowl and wax paper)

3 tablespoons flour

5 egg yolks (room temp)

7 eggs whites (room temp)

 

 

You will need

 Tools:

6 cup ramekin or soufflé baking dish

Wax paper and string that will fit around ramekin/bake dish

2 saucepans

1 large stainless steel or glass bowl for egg yolk mixture (no plastic)

1 large stainless steel or glass bowl for mixing (no plastic)

Whisk

2 mixing spoons (stainless or wood)

Mixer (hand or table top)

 

 Directions

Preheat oven to 375'

Butter your baking dish well and dust with sugar.

Butter a piece of wax paper that will easily wrap around the ramekin.

In a saucepan on med/low gently heat milk, lemon rind, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.

In a different saucepan melt the butter and remove from heat.  Stir flour and 4 tablespoons of sugar into the melted butter (a whisk is great to use here).  Return this mixture to medium heat and slowly add the milk/egg yolk mixture, whisking rapidly to incorporate.  Stir until mixture resembles cream sauce, which will happen quickly, and remove from heat.  Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Using a mixer/whisk and stainless steal bowl (all wiped down with lemon juice), beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (about 6-7 minutes, at medium speed for 3 minutes and medium/high speed for 3 minutes).  Add remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, beating for 30 seconds.

Carefully pour stiff egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture, fold in ever so gently until well incorporated.  Do not whisk, stir, or over mix.  Fold fold fold gently.

Gently pour mixture into buttered and sugared baking dish.

Do not bang dish, and do not smooth top if you want a beautiful rise as in photos above.

Wrap buttered wax paper (butter facing in) around baking dish and tie with baking string to secure.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

Serve immediately.

 

 

Important Tips

 

- Soufflé can not be made ahead of time, it must be served and eaten as soon as it comes out of the oven.

– Wipe down your whisks/mixers and bowls with lemon juice or white distilled vinegar before using.

(this aids in the successful whipping/beating of your egg whites, removing any trace oils)

– Do not use plastic bowls no matter what (if you don't have stainless use glass).

(plastic has an oily residue that will not allow your egg whites to beat properly)

– Do not over whip/beat your eggs, if you over whip them they will go from stiff peaks to liquid, and there will be no way you can get them back.

– When getting egg whites to stiff stage, you will first go through the foam stage, then the soft peak stage, and finally the stiff peak stage. (about 6-7 minutes, 3 med speed + 3 medium high to reach stiff peak stage)

– Do not get even a tiny egg yolk particle into your egg whites, it will ruin everything.

– Stiff peaks are thick and leave little peaks, as in the pictures above.

– Carefully fold your stiff egg whites into the yolk mixture and not the other way around. Pouring a mixture over stiff egg whites will ruin them.

– Carefully and very very gently fold your egg mixtures together with a wooden spoon.

– Don't be afraid if your wax paper makes a little smoke in the oven, this is normal, everything will be fine. (just turn on your oven vent)

– Place your oven racks low, so there is lots of head space for your soufflé to puff up.

– Make sure your eggs are room temperature before using, this is crucial to perfect whipped egg whites.

– Do not bang the side of your ramekin with soufflé mixture in it, the whole point of a soufflé is to keep as many air bubbles from the whipped egg whites in tact as possible.  This is what makes a soufflé rise.  Banging or tapping the mixture can ruin it.

– If you do not have access to superfine sugar, regular granulated sugar is fine.  If you would like to make your own superfine sugar, just run regular sugar in the food processor for a minute, voila!

 

 

 If you would like to print this recipe,

click this link for a printable pdf

 

 

 

 Okay, I think I need a lobotomy after making, noting and typing all of that 🙂

 

What about making it a soufflé year, are you game?

 

Will you give it a go if you haven't already?

 

I love making things that seem difficult.

It's so gratifying and fulfilling.

Have you ever made anything that seems tough but is easy in the end?

 

Do any of you make homemade pasta??

I heard it's rather easy, is it?

Any tips?

I was thinking homemade ravioli or such?

Spinach and mushroom maybe?

 

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

 ps:

Magazine winner posted in "ps: section" of magazine post.

Thank you infinity to everyone who played, what fun!!