Carlo Middiones Quick Fruit Souffle Recipes

SOUFFLE PANCAKE

Steps:

• Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet over low heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Separate eggs, placing egg whites in a large bowl and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Add flour, milk, sugar, lemon juice, salt, baking soda, and vanilla extract to the bowl of yolks. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter; lightly mix into a slightly lumpy batter. Let batter rest while whipping egg whites.
• Whisk egg whites into stiff peaks using a wire whisk or electric mixer. Gently fold batter into the egg whites.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Pour in batter just before butter starts to brown. Cook until slightly set, 2 to 3 minutes. Drop in sliced strawberries until they are mostly submerged.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake souffle until top is light brown and center is set and doesn't jiggle when shaken, about 25 minutes. Broil until top is dark brown in color, about 2 minutes.
• Slide pancake onto a plate and sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top.

SOUFFLé PANCAKES

Steps:

• Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl with 1 tbsp sugar using an electric whisk or a stand mixer to form stiff peaks.
• Beat the egg yolks, 1 tbsp sugar and vanilla together in a separate bowl until pale and foamy, and a ribbon trail is left on the surface when the beaters are removed. Gently fold in the milk and flour until just incorporated.
• Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture and gently turn the batter over to mix, using the side of a metal spoon or spatula to keep all the air in the mixture.
• Working fairly quickly, heat a large non-stick frying pan with a lid over a very low heat. Drizzle a little oil into the pan, then wipe it with a piece of kitchen paper - you only want a small film on the base of the pan. Make three tall pancakes by piling three spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, using about two thirds of the mixture. Keep them piled quite high, don't tip the pan or spread them out like you would normal pancakes. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-4 mins, the steam will help them set. Remove the lid and add another dollop of batter to each pancake, this will create the classic height and thickness. Return the lid and cook for another 4-6 mins until the top feels slightly set.
• Very gently, and carefully, turn the pancakes over in the pan with a fish slice or spatula. The bases should be a light golden brown. Add the lid back on and cook for another 4-6 mins until both sides are golden brown and they have a slight wobble, but are not collapsing or sticky. Serve with a pat of butter, a dusting of icing sugar and a little maple syrup.

QUINCE CALVADOS CRêPE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Make crêpe batter:
• Whisk together all crêpe ingredients until smooth, then chill, covered, 30 minutes.
• Poach quince:
• Combine water, sugar, zest, and a pinch of salt in a 3-quart heavy saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add quince and simmer, covered, until fruit is very tender but not falling apart, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Discard zest.
• Cook crêpes while fruit poaches:
• Lightly brush an 8- to 9-inch nonstick skillet with butter, then heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Holding skillet off heat, pour in a scant 1/4 cup batter, immediately tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly.) Return skillet to heat and cook crêpe until just set and golden around edges, 10 to 15 seconds. Loosen edge of crêpe with a heatproof rubber spatula, then transfer crêpe to a plate. Brush skillet with more butter and make 3 more crêpes in same manner, stacking crêpes on plate.
• Finish preparing quince:
• Measure out 3/4 cup poached fruit with a slotted spoon and 3 tablespoons cooking syrup (reserve remainder in saucepan), then purée in a food processor with vanilla and 1 tablespoon Calvados until smooth.
• Transfer remaining fruit from reserved syrup with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Pour syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl, then return to saucepan and boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 8 to 12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and remaining tablespoon Calvados and cool.
• Measure out 3/4 cup reserved fruit, then chop and set aside. Stir remaining fruit into reduced syrup and set aside separately.
• Make soufflés:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add granulated sugar in a slow stream, beating, and beat at medium-high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks. Fold one third of whites into quince purée, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Gently fold in chopped fruit.
• Brush bottom sides of crêpes with some melted butter and put in a 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan (about half of each crêpe will hang over). Divide soufflé mixture among crêpes, spooning it in center and spreading it over half of each crêpe. Gently fold other half of each crêpe over filling to rest on top. Bake until filling is puffed, set, and pale golden in spots, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Dust crêpes with confectioners sugar and serve immediately with reserved quince and syrup.

CARLO MIDDIONE'S QUICK FRUIT SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Put the strawberries in a small bowl, mix with one to two tablespoons sugar (to taste) and the brandy and allow to macerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter six small souffle dishes four inches in diameter (about one-and-a-quarter-cup capacity). Dust each with a teaspoon of sugar.
• Beat egg whites until softly peaked, sprinkle on one tablespoon of sugar and continue beating to firm but supple peaks. Quickly fold in the strawberry mixture so the fruit is well distributed but not perfectly incorporated. You have to work fast.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared souffle dishes, put them on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until puffed above the rims of the dishes and browned. Serve at once.

PICADILLY AND/OR MORRISON'S SWEET CARROT SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Steam or boil carrots until extra soft. Drain well.
• Add sugar, baking powder, and vanilla.
• Whip with mixer until smooth.
• Add flour and mix well.
• Whip eggs and add to flour mixture, blend well.
• Add softened margarine to mixture and blend well.
• Pour mixture into baking dish about half full as the soufflé will rise.
• Bake in 400°F degree oven about 45 minutes or until top is a light golden brown.
• Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar over top before serving.