Soufflé

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Soufflé
choco souffle.jpg
A chocolate soufflé
Origin
Place of origin France
Details
Type Egg-based dish
Main ingredient(s) Egg yolks, egg whites

A soufflé (French: [su.fle]) is a baked egg-based dish which originated in early eighteenth century France. It is made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means "to breathe" or "to puff".[1][2][3]

History

The earliest mention of the soufflé is attributed to French master cook Vincent de la Chapelle, circa the early eighteenth century.[1] The development and popularization of the soufflé is usually traced to French chef Marie-Antoine Carême in the early nineteenth century.[4][5]

Ingredients and preparation

A berry soufflé served in a coffee cup

Soufflés are typically prepared from two basic components:

  1. a flavored crème pâtissière,[6] cream sauce or béchamel,[6] or a purée[2][6] as the base
  2. egg whites beaten to a soft peak[2]

The base provides the flavor and the egg whites provide the "lift", or puffiness to the dish.[1][2] Foods commonly used to flavor the base include herbs, cheese and vegetables[1] for savory soufflés and jam,[7] fruits,[8] berries,[9] chocolate,[10] banana[11] and lemon[12] for dessert soufflés.

Soufflés are generally baked in individual ramekins of a few ounces or soufflé dishes[13] of a few liters: these are typically glazed, flat-bottomed, round porcelain containers with unglazed bottoms, vertical or nearly vertical sides, and fluted exterior borders. The ramekin, or other baking vessel, may be coated with a thin film of butter to prevent the soufflé from sticking.[6] Some preparations also include adding a coating of sugar, bread crumbs, or a grated hard cheese such as parmesan inside the ramekin in addition to the butter; some cooks believe this allows the souffle to rise more easily.[6]

After being cooked, a soufflé is puffed up and fluffy,[2] and it will generally fall after 5 or 10 minutes (as risen dough does). It may be served with a sauce atop the soufflé, such as a sweet dessert sauce.[14][15][16] When served, the top of a soufflé may be punctured with serving utensils to separate it into individual servings.[17] This can also enable a sauce to integrate into the dish.

Variations

There are a number of both savory and sweet soufflé flavor variations.[18] Savory soufflés often include cheese, and vegetables such as spinach,[2] carrot[19][20] and herbs, and may sometimes incorporate poultry, bacon, ham, or seafood for a more substantial dish. Sweet soufflés may be based on a chocolate or fruit sauce (lemon or raspberry, for example), and are often served with a dusting of powdered sugar.[21] Frugal recipes sometimes emphasize the possibilities for making soufflés from leftovers.[22]

Another variation is an ice cream soufflé, which combines a soufflé with ice cream.[23] Fruit or a hot dessert sauce, such as chocolate sauce, may also be used.[16]

In popular culture

Soufflés are frequently depicted in cartoons, comedies and children's programs as a source of humor. Often this involves a loud noise or poke causing the soufflé to collapse, evoking the dejection of the character being served the anticipated dessert.[24]

In the popular science fiction television show Doctor Who, companion Clara Oswald's echo Oswin Oswald was known to the Doctor as "Soufflé Girl".[25][26]

On the animated children's television series Arthur, the episode "Arthur's Family Feud" involves a ruined soufflé.[27]

On the second season of HBO's award winning series True Blood; Maryann Forrester (a Maenad and main antagonist of the season) created and served the "Hunter's soufflé" which had a range of ingredients including rabbit, vegetables flambéd and a human heart. The unsuspecting Tara Thornton and Benedict Talley subsequently fell under the maenad's spell after consuming the morbid dish.

See also

References

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  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. open access publication - free to read
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  22. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. open access publication - free to read
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  24. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. open access publication - free to read
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Further reading

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 241 pages.

External links