Hello everyone! A couple weeks ago I posted a summary of our Summer Desserts 2017 project and asked you all which recipe you would most like to see on the blog. Well, it was close but Lemon Soufflé definitely got the most votes (via multiple forms of social media). Croissants came in second so I’m sure I will post those one day too but today is all about lemon soufflé. Thank you so much to those of you who voted; I really appreciate you taking the time!
Of course as luck would have it, I don’t have hardly any pictures of my soufflé. I didn’t take any pictures during the process and the ones I took of the finished product are horrible. But you will just have to trust me that it is delicious. I’m sorry my photos don’t do it justice.
Soufflés are known to be tricky. But the hardest part is really the timing. You will have to plan things out well but you can do it! Basically, put your soufflé in the oven as you are sitting down to eat. It will take about 25 – 30 minutes to cook. Eat your meal, pull the soufflé out of the oven and serve immediately! That’s all you have to do. No problem.
I looked to my hero, Ina Garten, for this recipe. I changed some flavors around but this is based on her Soufflé à L’Orange. A few tips before we begin…
You will need room temperature egg yolks and egg whites. However, it is much easier to separate an egg when it is cold. So, separate the eggs – dropping the whites into whatever bowl you will whip them in later (for me this is the bowl of my stand mixer) and the yolks into a separate bowl. You will have one extra yolk that you can save for another use. It is very important that the yolks and whites are at room temperature when you begin making the dessert so do this step a couple hours early. I also butter and sugar the soufflé dish at this time because why not get that out of the way. One more thing, my soufflé dish is about 7½ inches in diameter (on the inside) and 4 inches high; Ina uses one that is 6½ inches wide by 3½ inches high. She got a better rise, but I’m sure it’s ONLY because she had a smaller dish. That’s the only possible reason, right? Ok, let’s get to it!
Lemon Soufflé
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
2 T Unsalted Butter (plus extra for dish)
3 T Flour
¾ c Whole Milk
¼ c Sugar (plus extra for dish)
5 Egg Yolks, at room temp
Zest of 1 Lemon
Juice of 1 Lemon (about 2 tsp)
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
6 Egg Whites, at room temp
¼ tsp Cream of Tartar
Pinch of Kosher Salt
¼ c Sugar
Preheat oven to 400
Generously butter and sugar your entire soufflé dish; tap out any extra sugar and set aside.
In a medium pot, melt 2 T butter over medium heat.
Add flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes until well combined and the raw flour taste is cooked out.
Whisk in the milk; while constantly whisking, gradually add the sugar.
Continue to whisk for one minute or until you have a smooth consistency.
Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for a minute or two.
Then, whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
Stir until well combined; set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) add the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt.
Use the whisk attachment (or handheld beaters) and beat on medium-high (or high) speed until the egg whites have doubled in size and are frothy.
Turn the mixer down and gradually add the sugar.
Beat until the egg whites form soft, creamy peaks (not firm peaks).
Add ¼ of the egg white mixture to the egg yolk base; stir together to lighten it.
Add the remaining egg white mixture to the base and gently fold with a spatula until combined, making sure not to deflate the egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish leaving 1¼-inch space at the top (even if you don’t use all the mixture; this will depend on the size of your dish).
Run your finger around the inside of the dish, 1 inch down, making sure not to rub off the butter and sugar inside the dish (this will help it rise).
Place the soufflé in the oven and immediately turn the temp down to 375.
Mine baked for 27 minutes until it was browned and puffed on top (if you have a smaller dish could be more like 30-35 minutes).
Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Just scoop out a portion and drop it in a bowl. (It will deflate after you scoop it; it is supposed to!)
I served mine with a scoop of homemade whipped cream. Delish! A HUGE hit at my house (they are still talking about it) and I hope at yours too!