Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
A good souffle is a transcendent bit of cooking, delivering a wallop of flavor on a breathy
whisper. It is intense yet ethereal, profound but insubstantial. True, it has a reputation for
being the diva of the food world - risky and temperamental. But in reality it's a surpris-
ingly tough little rascal, and its rewards far outweigh the bit of extra trouble.
Did you know that a souffle can be put together in less than 20 minutes? That you can
make it ahead and freeze it until just before dinner? Now I've got your attention.
The magic of the souffle is how its fairly normal-looking batter puffs and fills with air
while baking. Like so many other bits of kitchen wizardry, that loft comes thanks to the
egg - specifically, the egg white, which is a combination of water and protein and not
much else. When egg whites are beaten with a whisk, the proteins, which are naturally
curled up in little balls, relax and unfold. As they do, they connect with other proteins and
form bonds. These connected strands leave small gaps - tiny bubbles, really -filled with
air. When the souffle is heated, the air expands inside the bubbles and the souffle puffs.
The water evaporates, leaving nothing behind but the inflated thin framework of protein
strands - and whatever else you add to them, of course.
No matter how interesting they may be scientifically, there's nothing very compelling
flavor-wise about plain egg whites. Traditionally, the addition of flavor begins with some
kind of flourbased paste, such as a thick white sauce. But there is nothing flavorful about
that either. You can get the same effect - and a lot more flavor - by using other kinds of
pastes: a puree of roasted sweet potatoes, for example, or a soft cheese such as ricotta
or fresh goat cheese. To this base, egg yolks are usually added. They make the souffle a
little richer, but they also thin the paste enough that it won't collapse the egg whites when
they're folded in.
Although the base carries the flavor, by far the trickiest part of making a souffle is the
egg whites - and they are probably the reason for much of the recipe's reputation for be-
ing difficult. They need to be beaten - but just enough. They need to be handled gently.
Most cooks have some kind of electric mixer for beating egg whites, either a handheld
one or a big stand mixer. After only a couple of minutes, you'll notice that the egg whites
are beginning to hold a shape: soft, billowing mounds. Keep going. Within a minute or
two, you'll notice that the whites are forming something that actually looks like a peak (as
opposed to a small hill). Lift the beaters from the bowl: the whites will probably form a
point at first, then almost immediately collapse back into the bowl. These are called "soft
peaks," and they aren't stable enough to withstand the heat of the oven. When the peaks
are stiff enough that they hold their sharp points - both in the bowl and from the beaters
-you're done. The beaten whites should be shiny and glossy. Roll the bowl around; there
