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A step-by-step guide to making perfect souffles

Impress your guests with a soufflé - it's really not that difficult. Amy Willcock shows you how with a step-by-step guide

There really is no mystery to making a soufflé - if you have ever made meringues or whisked up an egg white you are halfway there. I think people freak out because of the drama of the timing. But a soufflé is actually the ideal pudding for a dinner party, because a lot of the preparation can be done ahead of time. Also, it gives your guests a welcome natural break before pudding as you finish off the last bit of whisking. After a big dinner, a soufflé can be light relief.

The biggest tip is not to feel the fear before you start. Approach it calmly, and don't build it up into a big thing. Like pastry, once you've made a soufflé you will see just how easy it is, and practice really does make perfect. Don't stop at sweet soufflés - a savoury soufflé is delicious as a starter. And for a really light lunch or supper dish, a cheese soufflé and salad couldn't be better.

After a hectic dinner party, it's often nice to find an excuse to take refuge in the kitchen and recompose your smile. Pour yourself a glass of champagne and relish those stolen moments in the kitchen. No one will refuse to do the washing up after such a feat of culinary excellence.

Soft Fruit Soufflé

Fruit Base
Instead of making this, you could use bought fruit purée, in which case measure it out to 360g.

350g soft fruit (raspberries, strawberries, etc)
75g caster sugar
50ml water

1. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Continue to boil for 2 minutes.
2. Take off the heat and liquidise, strain and then return to a clean saucepan.

Crème Patissière
25g cornflour
3 tbsp water
1 egg yolk
fruit purée (as above)

1. In a bowl, mix the cornflour and water together to make a thin paste.
2. Over a gentle heat, start whisking the fruit purée in a heavy-based pan, then add the cornflour paste little by little, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens.
3. Take off the heat and, still whisking, add the egg yolk. The consistency should be that of clotted cream.
4. Set aside until ready to use.

*** The recipe up to this stage can be done in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you take it out of the fridge you need to gently warm it through so that it comes back to clotted cream consistency.

Preparing the soufflé moulds
4 china ramekins
2 tbsp softened unsalted butter (you won't use all of it)
3 tbsp caster sugar (again, you won't use all of it)

1. Grease the soufflé mould (ramekins) very generously with the butter, paying particular attention to the 'lip' of the moulds.
2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp caster sugar into the moulds and swirl it round lightly to dust the inside, making sure they are well coated.
3. Set on a baking sheet ready to fill.

Making the meringue
6 egg whites
40g caster sugar

1. Whisk the egg whites in a scrupulously clean and dry bowl until stiff.
2. Add the sugar spoonful by spoonful, whisking in between each addition, until it is all used up.
3. Add a large dollop of the meringue into the fruit purée mixture and fold well to loosen the mix.
4. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites until thoroughly blended with no pockets of white showing.
5. Fill the prepared moulds with the soufflé mixture to the top, then run your clean finger round the lip to form a neat edge.
6. Transfer the soufflés to the baking sheet and put into a preheated oven - 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cook for 8 minutes. Serve directly from the oven.
7. If serving with a fruit coulis, mark a cross on top of the soufflé with a knife and pour in the sauce.

Notes

• Do not use this method with citrus fruits.
• A spicy apple, and cinnamon purée makes a delicious winter soufflé.
• Fruit purée can be added to the bottom of the mould before filling: half-fill the moulds with the soufflé mix and add a teaspoon of purée then continue to top up with more mix.
• If you are really ambitious, add a teaspoon of really hard ice cream to the centre, top up and cook, like a mini Baked Alaska.

Next page: Cheat's Savoury Soufflé

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