A Souffléan Tragedy

A food blogger’s odd behaviour has long been documented for years. We’ve raised many eyebrows and stirred up countless confused expressions, sniggers and finger pointing. Many dishes and exasperated dining companions have suffered for our need. Our need to take photos. Apart from ice cream, my culinary subjects have, by and large, cooperated nicely. Until I came across this notoriously tempestous dessert.

My foray into the world of soufflés started off on a high as I removed these beauties from the oven, tall and proud. I was beaming like a proud parent. And then I stared at it. Yes, stared. I have no idea why but there may have been a triumphant squeal. Perhaps I thought that a watched soufflé will never fall but dang, was I going to be punished for it. A quick snap out of my reverie saw me gunning for the camera and then…

Going… going… gone…

Ugh.

My tall and perky Caramelised Apple Soufflés quickly reduced themselves to an army of saggy chesticles. I watched them all in horror, as they collapsed in slow motion right before my eyes. Poor things, they were about as deflated as my ego…

But dang, they do taste good.

Right, so lesson learnt. This bitch waits for nobody. Especially not for one tempestous food blogger…

Don’t let my soufflé drama put you off. This recipe is delicious and absolutely worth a go for its light, fluffy and custardy texture and the molten caramel apple innards. Saggy or not, it’s fabulous.

Caramelised Apple 
40g butter
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced into 2cm cubes
100g pure icing sugar
30ml Calvados
50ml pouring cream

Method

Grease four 250ml-capacity ramekins or ceramic moulds (with straight vertical sides) with butter and a pastry brush. Make sure to brush the butter upwards in one stroke on the sides of the ramekins. This will help it to rise as straight up as possible. Sprinkle caster sugar over the butter to coat and tap out the excess. Set aside in the fridge or freezer.

Heat butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add apples and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden.

Sift over the icing sugar, toss to coat and cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until caramelised.

Add Calvados, simmer for 2 minutes or until reduced, add cream and cook until thick.

Divide among the ramekins and set aside in the fridge.

For the soufflés

Ingredients

330 ml milk (divided into 250ml and 80ml)
2 pieces of lemon rind, removed with a peeler
80g caster sugar (divided into 60g and 20g)
50g plain flour
20g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
20ml Calvados (can be replaced with apple cider for a non-alcoholic alternative)
2 eggs, separated

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C and make sure the oven tray is sitting in the bottom third of the oven (don’t use fanforce).

Heat 250ml milk and lemon rind in a small saucepan and bring just to the boil over medium heat.

Meanwhile, combine 60g sugar, flour and remaining 80ml of milk in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Pour over the hot milk mixture, whisk to combine and return to the saucepan. Whisk over medium heat for 1 minute or until thick, remove from heat, remove lemon rind, add butter and mix to combine.

Stand for 5 minutes. Then add Calvados and egg yolks and whisk to combine.

Whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Shower over the remaining 20g of sugar and whisk until firm peaks form.

Fold 1/3 of the eggwhites into mixture until just combined, then fold through remaining eggwhite mixture.

Divide among the ramekins with the caramelised apple, smooth tops and run finger around edges to get a clean edge. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until risen and golden. Serve dusted with icing sugar. Serve immediately.

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Recipe adapted from Gourmet Traveller.