How to bake a soufflé according to science (2024)

FAQs

What is the science behind a soufflé? ›

When the egg mixture is baked in a 350-degree oven, those air bubbles trapped in the egg whites expand, making the souffle rise. The heat also causes the protein to stiffen a bit, and along with the fat from the yolk, it forms a kind of scaffold that keeps the souffle from collapsing.

There's only one serious secret to the perfect soufflé and that is careful whisking of the egg whites so they keep their volume and puff to a maximum in the oven.

A soufflé is made up of a base (usually white sauce or creme patissiere enriched with egg yolks), a flavor (added to the base) and whipped egg whites gently folded in and baked in the oven. While it's cooking, the air trapped in the egg whites expands, causing it to rise.

Ensure all your ingredients, especially the eggs, are at room temperature. Do not use cold eggs. Prepare and grease the soufflé dishes before you start making the soufflé mixture. Preheat the oven so once the soufflé is made and in the dish, it can go directly into the oven.

Method. Preparing the soufflé dish: Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and place a baking sheet on the middle shelf. Butter a 15cm soufflé dish generously, then sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and rotate the dish to ensure the butter is evenly coated. Tip out any excess breadcrumbs.

Making a successful soufflé is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, but it does require doing a few things properly. They include: Liberally buttering and sugaring your ramekins. This includes the inner base and walls, all the way up to the top rim.

A soufflé is done baking when it has risen above the rim of the dish and is nicely browned on top. It should feel mostly firm and only slightly jiggly when you lightly tap the top. Flourless soufflés, such as those made with fruit purée or chocolate, are lighter and cook faster.

Souffle may be made up ahead and refrigerated as long as 24 hours. Put souffle in cold oven and bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees. It can also be frozen up to 7 days. Allow 50 to 60 minutes to bake frozen at the same temperature.

“The hardest part of making a soufflé is when you incorporate the beaten egg white with yolks, and the rest of the batter. You have to be very careful to fold the egg whites slowly, so that they don't melt.” “A KitchenAid is the best investment if you want to make soufflés regularly.”

The relevant principle is described by Charles's law, named after the French scientist Jacques Charles, who was also a pioneer of balloon flight. It states that the volume of a gas is proportional to its temperature. That means the bubbles in a soufflé mixture expand when they are heated, but this only…

What makes a soufflé a soufflé? ›

A souffle has two main components, a flavorful base and glossy beaten egg whites, and they are gently folded together just before baking. The word itself comes from “souffler,” meaning “to breathe” or “to puff,” which is what the whites do to the base once they hit the oven's heat.

The whisking of air into the egg whites denatures the proteins, causing them to coagulate. This causes the foam to stiffen and the air bubbles to stabilize. The foam should be transferred into a greased, ovenproof soufflé dish. A soufflé dish has a special design.

The myth about them falling when there is a loud noise or a slight bump is entirely false. Soufflés will inevitably collapse, not because of being bumped, but because the air that is whipped into the egg whites, which has been heated by the oven, cools, so the soufflé falls.