Souffle

Culinary definition of souffle:  A baked dish made from base ingredients of milk and eggs, the distinguishing feature of which is beaten egg whites to provide lightness and lift.  Translation from French ≃ 'puffed up' or 'breathy'

C@H FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Soufflés have undergone a renaissance of sorts, thanks largely to the proliferation of how-to cooking shows that make it look easy.  It is in fact quite easy to make gorgeous sweet or savoury soufflés like the coffee souffle shown right. Just follow a few basic rules:

• Use room temperature eggs and whisk them in a squeaky clean bowl using a squeaky clean whisk or beaters. Do not overwhip - 'just' to stiff.

• Use very soft, not melted, butter to grease traditional souffle dishes, and be certain to use a soft pastry brush to pull the soft butter 'straight up' from the bottom of the dish to the top, turning the dish as you go.  Dust inside lightly with sugar or cocoa powder (for sweet soufflés; corn flour, wheat flour, fine parmesan etc for savoury) and rest prepared dishes in the refrigerator until ready to use. Pulling the butter straight up ensures that the soufflé rises straight up and uniformly as it cooks, and does not twist (following the brush path).

• Fill cups to 3/4-full only, then run a clean thumb along the inside of the rim to create a little moat around the outside edge of the soufflé.

• Do not open or bump the oven during cooking; do not jiggle the soufflé when removing from oven;  serve 'immediately'.  Sweet soufflés may be dusted with sugar or cocoa.

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