A soufflé is a French dessert that has its origins in the early 18th century. There are some interesting facts about soufflés. It is a rich, delicious, and equally easy-to-make dish that can be found easily in more upscale restaurants. The soufflé is a sweet dish that is soft and fluffy. The first recipe for a soufflé was created by chef Marie-Antoine Carême for King Louis XVI in 1787 but it was not until 1838 when French cook Auguste Escoffier invented the pastry ‘pâté Chaud mousseux’ or ’soufflés pâté’.
Importance of Soufflé
It becomes a very important dish as it can be served hot or cold. The soufflé is also used in different cuisines in different ways. It can be made by adding fruits, vegetables, or other flavours as per your taste. This versatile dish can be served as a dessert at parties or as a simple accompaniment to meals at home for the family. It is soft and light and can be eaten with other desserts as well. A well-made soufflé becomes a sophisticated dessert to serve guests when made well.
Nutritional Benefits of Soufflé
There are quite a several health benefits attached to soufflé. It is the high content of protein that gives the body strength and aids in tissue formation. The average adult needs about 50 grams of protein daily and soufflé has about 10 grams per serving.
It is also rich in vitamin A, which is important for eyesight as well as vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, heals wounds fast, and protects against colds and flu.
Soufflé consists mainly of milk so its content of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus benefits maintaining healthy bones. It also has vitamin B12, which is quite rare in food and helps in maintaining a healthy nervous system.
Soufflé has a small number of calories and contains no cholesterol at all. Its dietary content includes high levels of water, carbohydrates, protein, and fat hence making it a low-calorie meal that fills you up without making you feel overloaded.
Collecting the Ingredients for a Soufflé
Soufflé can be a creamy and smooth preparation and needs some very basic ingredients.
Water: Take about two cups of water and keep it aside.
China grass: China grass is also called agar agar. You need to chop it and then soak it in water for about half an hour.
Sugar: While it depends on taste, take about half a cup of sugar to make the soufflé.
Fresh cream: One cup of fresh cream should be taken. It needs to be chilled, so make sure you have kept it in the chiller or freezer for around half an hour.
How to Make the Soufflé
The method of making a basic soufflé is very simple. It does not require great cooking skills or too many ingredients. It can be made by organising a few items easily available in any kitchen. A little focus will ensure the dish turns out excellent and is loved by all who eat it.
To start the preparation, cook the china grass in the water till it gets completely dissolved. When it is dissolved, add the sugar and stir well. Once you see that the sugar and china grass is mixed well with the water, take the pan off the gas, and allow the dish to cool completely.
You will notice after a while that the dish has cooled down and seems to be beginning to set. This is the time to add the chilled cream in. Do ensure the cream is chilled or else it will not hold its shape.
Whip the chilled cream into the prepared mixture and fold it in well. Transfer it to a serving bowl and serve it chilled.
Baking the Soufflé Dish
The soufflé dish prepared above can also be baked and served hot.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare the soufflé as per the instructions given above. Pour the mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking dish, preferably of glass and sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. Bake for 30-35 minutes until soufflé has risen and turned golden brown on top and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Serve immediately (while still hot) or remove from the oven and serve later when cooled down, with some fresh fruit pieces on top or even with your favourite sauce. Just remember to consume it within 2-3 hours, otherwise, it will begin to fall apart.
Types of Soufflés
While a basic soufflé can be made with very few ingredients, there are also many variations of a soufflé that can make it a great main dish to be served for the entire family or part of the menu for a party. Here are some variations you can easily try at home.
Cheese Soufflé
To make a cheese soufflé, you need the following ingredients.
1 tablespoon milk powder
3 tablespoons of milk
50 grams of cream cheese
20 grams of butter or margarine
A quarter teaspoon of soda bicarbonate
60 grams of almond meal
10 grams of flour or all-purpose flour
30 grams of parmesan, grated
Puff pastry
Toppings, to taste
To make the cheese soufflé, mix the milk powder and milk in a bowl and chill it for one hour.
To make the cheese soufflé batter, combine the prepared milk paste with cream cheese, butter and soda bicarbonate and beat until it becomes creamy and pale in colour.
Next, add the almond meal, flour and parmesan to the mixture. Mix well. Then, pour it into a piping bag.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the pastry into small rounds of the desired size. You can use a cookie cutter for this. You will need two pieces per tart. Pierce a hole into the center of each round. Brush a little water on the other side of each for the cut-out disks to stay. Place them on a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper. Pierce in the centre with a fork to make holes.
Fill each tart with the soufflé batter. You can add the toppings at this stage. Fruits like peaches go well with the soufflé. Bake for about ten or fifteen minutes till the tarts turn golden.
Take them out and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Serve them warm.
Vegetable Soufflé
The soufflé can also be a good way of consuming vegetables for the entire family. A great vegetable soufflé recipe can include spinach, artichoke and yeast. Here is how to go about making it.
You can make the dough, or use a pack of puff pastry that is readymade. Pack this into the tart molds.
For the vegetable filling, sauté onions, artichoke, garlic and red bell pepper. When the onions start to turn translucent, add about four cups of spinach. Cook well. Blend it all in the mixer till chopped up finely, but not mashed. Remove from the blender or food processor and add some crumbled firm tofu. The mix is all well. Season with salt and any other herbs you prefer.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Celsius. Pour the mixture into the prepared pastry molds and bake for about half an hour to forty minutes.
Conclusion
A rule of thumb is that you should not make soufflés more than 2-3 hours before serving as they will fall flat if they have been made too far in advance. The dish can be served warm or cold, in either case, it must have a smooth texture. It is important not to over-mix the eggs if you wish to obtain a soufflé dish with a soft and fluffy consistency. This can be served as a main dish or even as dessert. Soufflé is a classic French dish, with its rich creamy flavour and light fluffiness, it can be found on many menus.
FAQs
Can soufflé be frozen?
Soufflé is such an easy dish to make at home that there is no need to freeze it. It can be made in advance and served later or even the next day. To maintain its softness, just do not overheat it either in the microwave or oven.
Will soufflés fall if they are overcooked?
Soufflés tend to fall if they are overcooked, which makes it hard to reheat them once they have cooled down.
Are soufflés healthy?
Yes, soufflés are very healthy because they contain nutrients that are needed by the human body.
Are soufflés high in calories?
Soufflés are very low in calories and rich in carbohydrates, protein and lipids due to high amounts of fat.
Is the soufflé oven safe?
Yes, soufflés can be easily cooked in an oven as well as on a stovetop. If baked inside they can last around 8-10 minutes. If cooked in the microwave they will last much longer than this because of their air pockets.