Raspberry Soufflé

We took this along the other night to accompany my TransAlp slide show.  It’s delicious.  The recipe is both here, and is set out below.

Raspberry Soufflé

This light dessert can be largely prepared in advance and is ideal for dinner parties.

First you need to make a Crème Patisserie - this quantity is for 8 small (125ml) ramekins

Ingredients

225ml full milk
150ml double cream
60gm unrefined caster sugar
5 egg yolks
25gm plain flour
20gm corn flour

Method

1. Warm the milk and cream together in a heavy based pan.

2. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale in colour. (Do this only when ready to make the custard, otherwise the sugar will cook the egg yolk.)

3. Add the flours to the egg yolks and mix well.

4. Pour the warm milk/cream slowly onto the egg yolks, mix well using a spoon or whisk, and return to a clean pan.

5. Bring to just before boiling point, stirring all the time. (To at least 72C, to kill Salmonella and remove the egg taste.)

6. When thickened, pass through a sieve into a flat plastic tray, and cover with cling film, whilst warm, (directly on top of the custard, not stretched over the container) to prevent a skin forming.

Note: Sieving may be unnecessary; just beat the Crème Patisserie well so that it is smooth.

This 'custard' will keep in the 'fridge for 3-4 days.

Raspberry Soufflé - this quantity is for 8 small (125ml) ramekins

Ingredients

120gm raspberry purée (sieved)
5 egg whites (best up to 3-4 days old)
70gm unrefined caster sugar
1 batch of Crème Patisserie (as above)

Method (ensure clean equipment)

1. Pre heat an oven to 250C.

2. Prepare the raspberry purée using frozen or fresh raspberries. [Eg use 250-300gm fresh raspberries plus 3 tbsp sieved icing sugar, and whiz in a food processor, then press through a fine sieve to remove pips - this provides your 120gm for the soufflé; to the left over raspberry purée add more icing sugar to taste and use this as a sauce to pour into the middle of the cooked soufflés.]

3. Coat the soufflé ramekins with melted butter, stroking the butter upwards with a small brush. and rolling around to get a full coating with caster sugar, shaking off excess.

4. Stir the raspberry coulis into the cold Crème Patisserie.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peak, then slowly add the sugar until glossy and thick. Fold this gently through the raspberry mix - use a small amount to start with and fold in from the edges using a spatula, avoiding knocking out too much air.

6. Divide into the ramekins and level over the tops with a palette knife. Run a finger or thumb around the top edge of each ramekin so the soufflé will rise above the ramekin rim.

7. Place the soufflés into the oven on the top shelf and turn the oven down to 230C for approx 8-9 minutes or until risen and golden brown.

Notes

1. For an attractive finish sprinkle with icing sugar. You could also do a criss-cross glaze with a hot poker.

2. Instead of raspberries, you could use passion fruit, fruits of the forest, etc, and you could add a little alcohol.