Marbled Souffles Recipes

MARBLED SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins; coat with sugar. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Whisk together flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk together milk and egg yolks, then whisk mixture into saucepan along with vanilla seeds. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture comes to a boil; let boil 1 minute, whisking frequently. (Mixture should be very thick.)
• Remove from heat and divide mixture evenly between two bowls. Whisk chocolate into one half; let second half stand 5 minutes, then whisk in sour cream. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of each; let cool to warm room temperature, about 10 minutes. (Or place over an ice-water bath and whisk until cool.) Souffle bases can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature and whisk to loosen before proceeding.
• Whisk egg whites to break up a bit, then pour half (about 1/4 cup) into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until foamy; add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; beat until peaks are stiff and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon a dollop of mixture into chocolate base; whisk to lighten. Add remainder and gently fold in until combined (don't worry if some streaks remain). Repeat with other half of egg whites and vanilla base.
• Divide chocolate mixture among prepared ramekins, then spoon vanilla mixture into centers. For a marbled effect, swirl with a small spatula. Bake until risen and set, about 16 minutes. Serve immediately, dusted with confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder, with scoops of ice cream.

HOW TO MAKE SOUFFLé

Steps:

• In "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," their profoundly influential 1961 cookbook, Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle describe the soufflé as the "epitome and triumph of the art of French cooking." A half-century later, soufflé remains as vital as ever, as successive generations of chefs revisit and refresh the classic recipe. A souffle has two main components, a flavorful base and glossy beaten egg whites, and they are gently folded together just before baking. The word itself comes from "souffler," meaning "to breathe" or "to puff," which is what the whites do to the base once they hit the oven's heat. The base may be made either savory or sweet. Savory soufflés usually incorporate cheese, vegetables, meat or seafood and are appropriate for a light dinner or lunch, or as a first course. They require a substantial and stable base, in the form of a cooked sauce that often involves butter, egg yolks and some kind of starch (flour, rice or cornstarch). Sweet soufflés, with fruit, chocolate or liquors, make spectacular desserts. The base can be made from a fruit purée, or a sweet, rich sauce. Soufflés are found all over France, with each region applying its own spin. In Alsace, cooks use kirsch. In Provence, goat cheese or eggplant are excellent additions. And naturally, Roquefort cheese is a popular addition in Roquefort.
• Marie-Antoine Carême, the father of French haute cuisine, is credited with perfecting and popularizing the soufflé, publishing his recipe in "Le Pâtissier Royal Parisien" in 1815. (The first recipe had appeared in 1742, in Vincent La Chapelle's "Le Cuisinier Moderne.") Initially, Carême made his soufflés in stiff pastry casings called croustades that were lined with buttered paper. Soon after, vessels were developed just for making souffles, deep dishes with straight sides, for the tallest rise. Carême went on to create several variations, including Soufflé Rothschild, named after his employer, one of the richest men in France; it contained candied fruit macerated in a liquor containing flecks of gold. (Contemporary versions substitute more attainable kirsch for the golden elixir.) As the soufflé evolved, the number of variations grew. By the time Auguste Escoffier published "Le Guide Culinaire" in 1903, which codified the classic recipes of French cuisine, more than 60 soufflé variations were in common use, with versions that incorporated ingredients as varied as Parmesan cheese, foie gras, escarole, pheasant, violets, almonds and tea. A layered soufflé called a Camargo alternated stripes of tangerine and hazelnut soufflé batters in the same dish. "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," published nearly six decades later, offered several recipes, including a version called Soufflé Vendôme, in which cold poached eggs are layered into the unbaked soufflé mixture. After baking, the eggs warm up slightly, releasing their runny yolks when the soufflé is broken. Despite a movement in France in recent years that called for a more experimental take on traditional cuisine, there is still a place for perfect soufflé. And while chefs may innovate upon the classic version, those first 18th-century recipes are still very much in use. Above, the menu at Le Soufflé, a restaurant in Paris.
• Soufflé mold The soufflé has a pan created just for it, a deep ceramic dish with straight sides. Ceramic holds the heat evenly, so the center cooks at nearly the same rate as the edges, and the sides direct the expanding air upward, to give the most rise. A heavy metal charlotte mold also works. Or use a shallow oven-safe dish, like a gratin dish or a skillet. The soufflé won't rise as high, but it will still puff up. (It will likely cook faster, so watch it carefully.)Metal mixing bowl You will achieve better results beating the whites in a metal mixing bowl rather than in a plastic, glass or ceramic bowl. Plastic can retain oily residue, and glass and ceramic are slippery, making it harder to get the whites to cling and climb up the sides. This is especially important if you are beating the whites by hand. Stainless steel or copper work best.Electric mixer Using an electric mixer, whether it is a hand-held model or a stand mixer, makes the work of beating egg whites go faster and easier than if you were to use a whisk and your arms. Wirecutter, a product recommendations website owned by The New York Times Company, has a guide to the best stand mixers.
• A chocolate soufflé is an eternal showstopper of a dessert. The flavor is dark and intense, yet the texture is light and custardy. Be sure to use excellent bittersweet chocolate. For maximum drama, always serve a soufflé straight from the oven.
• The primary technique for making a tall and airy soufflé is the proper beating of the egg whites. Once you learn it, a whole fluffy world opens up, rich with spongecakes, mousses and foams.• Always use eggs at room temperature or even warm, for the highest rise. Cold egg whites won't beat up as loftily. To get cold eggs to temperature quickly, soak them in their shells in warm water for 20 minutes. • Make sure your hands are clean. If there is any trace of oil or grease on them and you touch the egg whites, the soufflé may not puff. • Crack your eggs on a flat surface, like the countertop, instead of on the rim of the bowl. That way, you are less likely to shatter the shell and pierce the yolk. • There are two ways to separate eggs. The first is to hold the cracked egg over a bowl and pass the yolk between shells, letting the white slip into the bowl. Gently drop the yolk in into a separate, smaller bowl. Take care: The sharp edge of the shell can easily pierce the yolk, allowing it to seep into the white. The other method requires you to strain the whites through your fingers, but it ensures that yolks do not creep into the whites. First, set up three bowls. Hold your hand over one bowl and drop the cracked egg into your palm, letting the white run through your fingers into the bowl. Drop the yolk into the second bowl. Inspect the white for traces of yolk. If there are none, slip the white into the third bowl. Repeat with remaining eggs. Using that first bowl as a way station for each freshly cracked white before it gets added to the main bowl of pristine whites helps ensure no yolk contaminates the mixture.• Well-beaten, stable whites are the key to a gorgeously puffy soufflé. So don't rush this step. The slower you go, the better your chances for success. • Take a moment to make sure there are no traces of yolk or any fat in the egg whites or the bowl. (Egg yolk will impede the whites from frothing.) • Adding a little bit of acid (in our recipes, cream of tartar) helps stabilize the egg foam, and also helps prevent overbeating. Beating the whites in a copper bowl will produce a similar result without the added acid, which is why copper bowls were historically considered essential for making meringues. • If you are using a stand mixer, check the bottom of the bowl every now and then for unbeaten egg whites. Sometimes the whites pool there, and when you go to incorporate the meringue into the base, those whites will deflate the overall soufflé. Whisk any pooled whites by hand into the rest of the meringue and continue beating with the machine. • Beat until the meringue is just able to hold stiff peaks. This means that when you lift the whisk out of the meringue, it will create a little cowlick that stays upright without drooping as you gently move the whisk. It should look glossy, or be just starting to lose its shine. Don't overbeat (which will make the foam turn grainy and dry) or underbeat (which won't give the proper lift). If you overbeat your whites, you might be able to rescue them by beating in another egg white. This often restores them.• The goal in folding the egg whites into the base is to work quickly and use a light touch. This lightens the base, making it easier to fold in the rest of the meringue mixture all at once. Fold in a C shape, as demonstrated in the video above: Starting in the middle of the bowl, drag the thin edge of a spatula down like a knife, then tilt and scoop up a spatula full of the soufflé base, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl. Turn the batter over, away from your body, back into the middle of the bowl. Shift the bowl 45 degrees, and repeat. • Stop folding when the streaks of white have just disappeared - or rather, when they have almost disappeared. A few white streaks are preferable to overfolding, which deflates the batter.• Buttering the soufflé dish, then coating the butter with something with a bit of texture, is essential for the rise. If the soufflé dish were to be just buttered, the soufflé would slip down the sides instead of climbing. An additional thin coating of granulated sugar, bread crumbs, ground nuts or grated cheese creates a rough texture for the egg whites to hold onto as they rise.• If your soufflé dish isn't big enough to accommodate all of the batter, you can extend it by tying a buttered piece of parchment paper or foil around the rim of the soufflé dish to increase its volume.• For individual soufflés, use small ramekins placed on a rimmed baking sheet so they are easy to get in and out of the oven. Reduce the cooking time of a larger soufflé by about half.• Heat matters. Make sure the oven is preheated; that initial hot blast expands the air trapped inside the bubbly foam of batter, which makes it rise. Having the soufflé base hot or warm when you fold in the egg whites helps the temperature rise quickly, too.• Baking the soufflé on a preheated baking sheet on the bottom of the oven helps the soufflé cook on the bottom as well as the top, producing a more even result. The baking sheet will also catch any overflow.• For a higher rise, rub your thumb around the inside rim of the soufflé dish to create a gap between the dish and the batter. (Many soufflé dishes already have a groove there to help.) • If you want a perfectly flat top to your soufflé, level the foam with the back of a knife before baking, and before running your thumb around the edge of the dish. Or you could leave the foam as it is, for a more natural, wavy look. Julia Child preferred a natural top; pastry chefs tend to prefer a flat top. • A soufflé is done baking when it has risen above the rim of the dish and is nicely browned on top. It should feel mostly firm and only slightly jiggly when you lightly tap the top. Flourless soufflés, such as those made with fruit purée or chocolate, are lighter and cook faster. (Chocolate soufflés can also be intentionally underbaked for a gooey chocolate interior. The soufflé should be a tad wiggly when gently shaken but firm around the edges.) Thicker soufflés made with flour, like a cheese soufflé, don't rise as much in the oven, but won't collapse as much either. • Use the window of your oven to monitor the soufflé, and don't open the oven door until you see the soufflé puff up over the sides of the dish. Once it has done that, you can safely open the oven and check on it. • If the top of your soufflé starts to brown too fast, top it with a round of parchment paper. • All soufflés fall within minutes of coming out of the oven, because the hot air bubbles contract when they hit cooler air. That's why you need to serve them immediately after baking. But as long as you don't overfold the whites, and you resist opening the oven door until the last few minutes of baking, your soufflé will rise gloriously before the dramatic and expected collapse. • You can prepare any soufflé batter ahead, but you will probably lose some volume. Assemble the soufflé in its dish, then set it aside in a warm place without drafts for up to four hours. Julia Child recommends turning your largest soup pot over the soufflé, and that would work. But any draft-free space is fine. A draft could deflate the foam.
• This savory soufflé is as classic as can be, with beaten egg whites folded into a rich cheese-laden béchamel for flavor and stability. Gruyère is the traditional cheese used for soufflé, but a good aged Cheddar would also work nicely. This makes a great lunch or brunch dish.
• Once you've mastered more basic soufflés, try this very light recipe, adapted from Julia Child, which uses a base of syrupy fruit to flavor the egg whites, without the addition of fats or starches. A combination of raspberries and strawberries makes it marvelously pink.
• Savory soufflés are usually served by themselves, but sweet soufflés often have a sauce on the side, to be poured into the center of the soufflé after you've dug in your spoon. Or opt for ice cream, which provides a thrilling hot-cold contrast. Either will deflate the soufflé, so add it after your guests have had a chance to admire it. This creamy custard, made from egg yolks and milk, is a great sauce for any sweet soufflé, including chocolate, fruit and Grand Marnier. You can flavor the sauce with a dash of liquor, some lemon zest or a pinch of cinnamon or another spice.A versatile choice, caramel sauce is lovely with all kinds of sweet soufflés, be they flavored with simple vanilla bean, chocolate or fruit.A perfect match for fruit soufflés, this can be as simple as a lightly sweetened purée of fruit, or a more elaborate fruit-flavored custard or curd.A chocolate sauce accentuates the richness of chocolate soufflés. You can use the same type of chocolate in the sauce as you've used in the soufflé, or try mixing it up, using a darker and more bitter chocolate to cut the sweetness, or a milk chocolate to step it up.
• Photography Food styling: Alison Attenborough. Prop styling: Beverley Hyde. Additional photography: Karsten Moran for The New York Times. Additional styling: Jade Zimmerman. Video Food styling: Chris Barsch and Jade Zimmerman. Art direction: Alex Brannian. Prop styling: Catherine Pearson. Director of photography: James Herron. Camera operators: Tim Wu and Zack Sainz. Editing: Will Lloyd and Adam Saewitz. Additional editing: Meg Felling.
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• Omelet

SHOWSTOPPING CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. Do not open oven door until ready to bake. Brush outer lip of a 2-quart souffle dish with melted butter. Tie a sheet of parchment around dish with kitchen twine so it extends 3 inches above rim. Brush inside of dish and collar with melted butter. Dust with sugar (this adds texture, which helps the souffle climb); tap out excess. Chill dish in freezer 15 minutes.
• Stir chocolates in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Scald the milk (heat it until it's just about to simmer) in a saucepan over medium heat; remove from heat. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat 6 tablespoons sugar and the yolks on high until pale, about 4 minutes. On low, beat in flour. Beat in half the hot milk, ladling it in a little at time (this is called tempering and prevents the yolks from scrambling).
• Whisk mixture into pan of hot milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thick, about 2 minutes. Pour into chocolate. Stir in brandy (if desired), vanilla, and a pinch of salt. (This mixture can be refrigerated, 2 days. Rewarm in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.)
• Egg whites are best whipped when they're at room temperature (they attain more volume). Using a balloon whisk, beat whites and a pinch of salt in a copper bowl until foamy. (Or beat with an electric mixer in a stainless-steel bowl with cream of tartar.)
• Add 1 tablespoon sugar; beat until whites almost hold stiff peaks. Add remaining tablespoon sugar, and beat until peaks are stiff (meaning they stand straight up when whisk is lifted).
• Spoon one-third of egg whites onto base (incorporating in batches prevents them from deflating). Fold them in: Cut through center of mixture with a large rubber spatula, then gently turn spatula over. Rotate bowl a quarter turn; continue folding whites and turning bowl until mostly combined.
• Fold remaining whites into base, one-third at a time.
• The mixture is ready when the whites are fully incorporated.
• Pour mixture into prepared dish. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; this helps you move souffle in and out of oven. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees; bake until set, 20 minutes. Remove collar; serve immediately with creme anglaise if desired

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 1 1/2-quart tall-sided baking dish. Coat with sugar, tapping out excess. Set dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, 20 minutes.
• Stir egg yolks into cooled chocolate mixture until well combined. Set souffle base aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes (do not overbeat).
• In two additions, fold egg-white mixture into souffle base: With a rubber spatula, gently cut down through center and lift up some base from bottom of bowl. Turning bowl, steadily continue to cut down and lift up base until just combined.
• Transfer mixture to dish, taking care not to get batter on top edge of dish; smooth top. Bake souffle until puffed and set, 30 to 35 minutes. (Do not open oven during first 25 minutes of baking.) Serve immediately.

MINIATURE GRAPEFRUIT SOUFFLES WITH GINGER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins. Dust with granulated sugar, and refrigerate, uncovered.
• Bring juice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in ginger.
• Combine 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and zest. Whisk in yolks, cornstarch, and flour, and then the juice mixture. Return to pan. Set over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Let mixture cool, stirring occasionally, to room temperature. Stir in yogurt.
• With a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add salt and cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. With machine running, gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Gently fold in grapefruit mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide mixture among prepared ramekins, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.

MINI CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush four 7-ounce ramekins generously with the butter; coat with granulated sugar. Whisk whites with a mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes. Add cream of tartar; whisk until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar; whisk until medium peaks form, about 5 minutes.
• Set chocolate in a bowl. Whisk milk into cornstarch and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk into chocolate (mixture will separate). Whisk in yolks and creme fraiche. Gently fold in egg whites.
• Fill ramekins evenly with batter. Bake on a baking sheet, rotating halfway through, until souffles rise but centers are still liquid, about 14 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

CREAMY CHOCOLATE MARBLE FUDGE

Steps:

• Butter rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, or line with aluminum foil, leaving 1 inch of foil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan. Heat sugar, milk, butter and cream cheese to boiling in 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat and cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to 225° on candy thermometer; remove from heat.
• Quickly stir in marshmallow creme and vanilla. Pour 4 cups hot marshmallow mixture over white baking chips in large bowl; stir to mix. Stir milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, cocoa and nuts into remaining marshmallow mixture.
• Pour one-third of the white mixture into pan, spreading evenly. Quickly pour one-third of the chocolate mixture over top, spreading evenly. Repeat twice. Swirl knife greased with butter through mixtures for marbled design. Cool until set.
• Refrigerate uncovered about 3 hours or until set. Cut into 12 rows by 8 rows with knife greased with butter. Store covered in refrigerator.

TANGERINE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in lower third. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins; coat with superfine sugar. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bring milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low. In a large bowl, whisk together yolks and 1/4 cup superfine sugar until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and whisk until well combined.
• Remove vanilla bean from milk mixture (discard or reserve for another use), then gradually add half to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan. Bring just to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer until thick and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in zest and juice. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of mixture. Let cool completely.
• In another bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons superfine sugar and whisk until peaks are stiff and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Spoon one-quarter of whites mixture into custard base, then whisk thoroughly until smooth. Gently fold in remaining whites mixture until combined. (Don't worry if some streaks remain.) Divide evenly among prepared ramekins. Bake until risen and set, 15 to 16 minutes. Serve immediately, dusted with confectioners' sugar and with creme fraiche alongside.