This divinely light and airy egg confection is as delicious as it is impressive.
If there is a single dish that often strikes fear in the hearts of novice cooks and seasoned ones alike, it’s the soufflé. The dread comes from the possibility that when you pull your puffy soufflé out of the oven, it will immediately—and dramatically—collapse. That’s why lots of people prefer to eat soufflés—the sweet or savory varieties—at restaurants rather than tackling them at home. And while it is true that soufflés can be challenging, our recipe for egg soufflé proves that with a little skill and some patience, you can make a perfect one.
The word soufflé comes from the French verb souffler, which means “to puff,” and that’s exactly what will happen to your egg soufflé in the oven. It will puff up into a light and fluffy ethereal cloud. According to food history, the first soufflé was the creation of chef Vincent La Chappelle in eighteenth-century France (who also, by the way, cooked for Madame de Pompadour, Louis XV’s mistress!).
One of the reasons the soufflé is challenging is that there is a lot of technique involved, but fear not: I’m sure you already know how to whisk and fold, and if you take your time, you will succeed. First, you must separate your eggs carefully so that no yolk gets into the whites. Then, you’ll need to carefully temper the egg yolks and then whip the egg whites into stiff peaks. And speaking of the egg whites, make sure the bowl you put them in is perfectly clean because even the tiniest amount of any kind of residue will interfere with their ability to whip up properly. There is a lot of whisking: the garlic and flour into the melted butter, then the milk into this mix; the egg yolks need to be whisked, and then there is the delicate whisking involved in tempering and whisking the yolks into the milk mixture. After all that whisking, there is the gentle folding of the whipped egg whites into the yolk and milk mixture. But like I said, these techniques won’t be new to you (and if they are, you’ll find them easy to master). By the time you put your egg soufflé into the oven, you’ll feel like a professional chef!
Tempering Eggs
If you were to add all of your whisked egg yolks right into the hot milk mixture, you would end up with scrambled eggs, not the texture we’re looking for in an egg soufflé. When egg proteins are heated too quickly, they change shape and form clumps, so to prevent this, we temper our egg yolks first by gently mixing a small amount of the hot liquid into the yolks. The tempering process raises the temperature of the yolks and dilutes the proteins, allowing them to be emulsified smoothly when you then add these yolks into the hot milk mixture.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Egg soufflé is a dish that should be served as soon as it comes out of the oven because it will deflate as it sits. But if absolutely necessary, cooled egg soufflé can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Is An Egg Soufflé Similar To A Frittata?
While they are both baked egg dishes, the process for making each is quite different and results in very different tastes and textures. The soufflé is light and airy and rises in the oven because of the whipped egg whites, whereas the frittata, which begins on the stovetop and finishes in the oven, is flat and denser, and usually contains more ingredients, such as meats, vegetables, and often cheeses sturdier than Parmesan.
Serving Suggestions
The egg soufflé is so special that it is the perfect dish around which to plan a celebration. I especially love to make it in the spring to celebrate Mother’s Day or Easter or just the beauty of the season, and here’s a menu that salutes spring flavors: egg soufflé, Roasted Chicken Salad, buttery, herb-flecked New Potatoes, fresh Steamed Asparagus drizzled with Green Goddess Dressing, and some Scones served with Sweet And Smoky Bacon Jam. And for dessert? This showstopping Fruit Basket Cake.
Egg Soufflé
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 5 large eggs separated
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Grease a 9-inch round baking dish with butter.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and flour and whisk for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and golden.
- Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, onion powder, and pepper. Remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in a small amount of the hot milk mixture to temper the yolks. Then, slowly whisk the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.
- In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the egg whites and the yolk mixture together until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the soufflé is puffed and golden. Serve immediately before the souffle begins to fall. Garnish with parsley.
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