Around the World in 80 Dishes: Grand Marnier Soufflés
In our ongoing video series Chef Lou Jones, from The Culinary Institute of America, demonstrates how to make French Grand Marnier Soufflés
In both professional and recreational cooking classes, soufflés always seem to be on the curriculum. Despite changing culinary trends, creating the perfect soufflé-rich yet light, puffed tall, and one that won't fall-remains an essential skill for chefs and serious cooks.
In these videos, The Culinary Institute of America's Associate Dean of Restaurant Education, Chef Lou Jones, shows us how to make single serving Grand Marnier Soufflés. The skills Chef Jones demonstrates can be applied to all sorts soufflés, sweet and savory, large and small.
Soufflés were invented in France in the late 18th century, according to Alan Davidson's Oxford Companion to Food. The word "soufflé" means "puffed up" in French-to keep your soufflés that way, don't bang on or open the oven door during cooking (so they are not jolted and cook at an even temperature) and serve them immediately after baking, preferably with a little crème anglaise. Magnifique!
Recipe
Grand Marnier Soufflés
Epicurious | February 2009
by Chef Lou Jones, The Culinary Institute of America
Yield: Makes 6 servings
These individual vanilla soufflés include a surprise layer in the middle: almond cookies soaked in an orange liqueur syrup.
The soufflés are thickened with a cooked mixture of butter, flour, and milk called a panade, which adds body and richness. Egg yolks are whisked into the panade to form the soufflé base, and then beaten egg whites are folded in to create the soufflé batter.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened, plus additional for coating ramekins
1/2 cup sugar, plus additional for coating ramekins
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
2 tablespoons simple syrup
16 small amaretti cookies
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Accompaniments: Confectioners' sugar, crème anglaise
Special equipment: 6 (8-ounce) ramekins, large baking pan
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter ramekins and coat with sugar, knocking out excess. Bring large saucepan of water to boil.
In small bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons butter and flour to form paste.
In second small bowl, stir together Grand Marnier and simple syrup. Add cookies, tossing lightly to coat, and let soak while preparing remaining ingredients.
Transfer milk to large saucepan. Split 1/2 vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into milk. Add bean. Set over moderate heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat and whisk in butter-flour mixture. Return to moderate heat and cook, whisking consistently, until thickened and smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks and 1 egg white. Transfer soufflé base to large bowl and discard vanilla bean.
In second large bowl, using electric mixer, beat remaining 4 egg whites just until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar.
Whisk 1/4 of beaten egg whites into soufflé base to lighten. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites.
Spoon 1/2 of batter into ramekins, filling each halfway. (Alternatively, spoon batter into large pastry bag and pipe into ramekins.) Transfer 2 soaked cookies to each ramekin. Top with remaining batter. Arrange ramekins at least 1 1/2 inches apart in large baking pan and add enough hot water to pan to reach 2/3 up sides of ramekins.
Bake soufflés until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and transfer ramekins to rack. Sift confectioners' sugar over, then transfer ramekins to dessert plates. With 2 forks, pull open center of each soufflé and pour some crème anglaise into opening. Serve immediately.
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Text by Megan O. Steintrager, illustrations by Matthew Brennan, photo by CIA/Keith Ferris
