imPECKable eats

So this is not a Paula Peck original recipe. In fact, although souffles are French and much of her work with James Beard was based on French recipes, I haven’t been able to find record of her making a souffle. When I asked my father about this, he had no recollection of her making one at all. It’s possible that somewhere between the issues of making sure that a souffle rises and the fact that it collapses within minutes after coming out of the oven, she found them to be too high maintenance for her minimalist approach to baking.

The thought of making a souffle often terrifies people. Before I went to culinary school, I tried making one a couple of times and failed miserably. I remember my nervousness the day we tackled the unit on souffles. We had to make 3 basic souffles: chocolate, fruit based, and cheese. My fear, of course, was that my souffles wouldn’t rise. The techniques and recipes turned out so solid that not only did all three rise, I don’t recall anyone in the class struggling with that unit at all. Unless I’m changing a recipe or testing one, I can usually turn out a technically correct souffle without a problem by sticking with the following tips:

– Do not over beat egg whites.
– Do let egg whites stand very long (they will deflate).
– Use a souffle mold with straight sides.
– Coat the molds with butter but also either sugar, Parmesan, or bread crumbs. I believe this helps the souffle grip the sides and rise.
– Most souffles should be baked in an oven at 375 to 400 degrees (if heat is too low, the souffle will flatten and spill out of dish. If too high, center will be liquid and top will be crusty)

Since souffles are somewhat old fashioned, I wanted to make one with a modern twist. With the popularity of red velvet cake and my love of cream cheese frosting, I took on this what’s old is new challenge. The resulting decadent warm red velvet chocolate souffle with a touch of sweet fruity Grand Marnier and tart cream cheese icing sauce definitely fits the bill.

Red Velvet Chocolate Souffle with Cream Cheese Icing Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

½ cup milk

3.75 oz of bittersweet chocolate (63%-73%), finely chopped

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon red food coloring (amount may depend on brand used)

4 egg whites

Pinch salt

1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar

Butter and sugar for coating molds

 

Cream Cheese Icing Sauce

3 oz cream cheese

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoon unsalted softened butter

2 tablespoons milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat four 8oz soufflé molds with butter and sugar. Refrigerate molds.

Mix flour into softened butter. Bring milk to a boil. Thicken milk with butter flour mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes until thick. Remove from heat and add chocolate. When chocolate is melted, add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in Grand Marnier and Vanilla. Add food coloring and mix (add enough food coloring for a deep red color).

Whip the egg whites with pinch of salt. Gradually add sugar a little at a time. Whip until egg whites are stiff. Fold a quarter of the egg whites into chocolate base to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Spoon or pour mixture into prepared molds, leaving a ¼ to the rim. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and place molds in middle of the oven. Bake 10-15 minutes until puffed.

Serve immediately with Cream Cheese Icing Sauce:

Heat butter and cream cheese in microwave for 20 seconds (or briefly heat in saucepan over low heat ). Whisk in sugar and vanilla. Whisk in milk 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve warm. Makes ¾ cup

Serves 4.

3.1

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As the name suggests, this is an extremely rich luxurious cake that should probably come with the warning: for die hard chocolate lovers only. Not to be confused with red velvet cake, the sponge cake lined thick mousse center is in it’s own category of cakes. At first taste of the filling, the richness is overwhelming as the coffee brings out the dark tones in the thick chocolate but finishes with just a hint of sweet Grand Marnier. The sponge cake lining is frosted with just lightly sweetened whipped cream that balances the many different strong and subtle flavors of this velvety indulgence. Before you know it, that large slice you thought was too rich to finish, is gone.

1 recipe Basic Sponge Sheet 9 x 13
12 oz semisweet chocolate chopped
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup strong coffee
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
3 egg whites
pinch salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

For the frosting:
2 cups heavy cream, whipped with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1-2 teaspoons Grand Marnier, 1-2 tablespoons sugar, and gelatin (to stabilize for longer shelf life) – see note.

Completely line 1/2 quart mold or loaf pan with basic sponge cake by cutting out one large piece to fit the bottom of the mold; then, from remaining cake, cut out one long or two short strips to cover the sides. Reserve any sponge sheet left to make into a top later on.

Melt chocolate (careful not to burn it) over very low heat. Add egg yolks, coffee, Grand Marnier. Stir together until smooth and heated through. Cool.

Beat egg whites with salt until they hold soft peaks. Add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Continue beating 5 more minutes, or until very stiff.

Fold unsweetened whipped cream and stiffly beaten egg whites together. Fold in about 1/4 cup of egg white cream mixture into cooled chocolate to lighten. Pour chocolate mixture into remaining egg white mixture. Fold in gently but thoroughly.

Pour into sponge cake-lined mold. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours or until filling is firm.

Cover with remaining sponge sheet, fitting together any bits and pieces if there isn’t a single piece large enough. Loosen sides of the mold with a sharp knife. Turn out upside down on a plate.

Frost all over with whipped cream frosting. Chill if not serving immediately. Chocolate Velvet maybe frozen before frosted, if necessary.

Note: To prepare whipped cream with gelatin, soften 1/2 teaspoon of gelatin (for each cup of cream) with a tablespoon cold water. Set over a pan of boiling water (or double boiler) until gelatin dissolves and looks clear. Beat dissolved gelatin, sugar, extract, and liqueur into the cream just as the cream begins to thicken.

Adapted by Megan Peck

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4 eggs
pinch salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sifted corn starch
1/4 cup sifted flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 11 x 16 jelly roll pan or a 9 x 13 pan and line with parchment paper.

Separate eggs. Beat egg whites with salt until they hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in sugar, sprinkling it in a little at a time. Continue beating until whites are very firm, about 5 minutes in all.

Stir yolks with a fork to break them up. Add vanilla. Fold a quarter of the stiffly beaten egg whites thoroughly into egg yolks. Pour egg yolk mixture on top of remaining whites. Sprinkle corn starch and flour over mixture. Fold all very gently together until no pieces of egg white show. Careful not to overmix.

Pour into prepared pan, spreading batter evenly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cake is very lightly browned.

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