1. Volume boost
To give your soufflé maximum volume and a lighter texture, it’s best to use week-old eggs that have been brought to room temperature.
2. Equipment essentials
Before beating the egg whites, make sure your equipment is clean and dry. Any grease or moisture on the mixing bowl prevents the egg white reaching maximum volume.
3. Peak performance
Beat the egg white until firm peaks form. To test this, lift the beater – the egg white should come to a slight point. If the tip of the point folds over, beat a little longer. Overbeating the egg white makes it more difficult to incorporate into the soufflé mixture and may result in overmixing, which in turn affects the height of the soufflé.
4. Easy does it
Working in batches, gently fold the beaten egg white into the soufflé mixture – vigorous mixing destroys the air bubbles, which are crucial for the soufflé to rise.
5. That sinking feeling
Fold in the egg white until it’s just incorporated. If the mixture starts to soften and lose volume towards the end of the folding process, stop immediately or the soufflé may not rise.
6. Straight talking
Cook your soufflé in a straight-sided ovenproof dish. The straight side helps the soufflé rise. You could also use an ovenproof saucepan or heatproof mugs. Dust the greased dish with breadcrumbs or caster sugar to help the soufflé grip the side and rise evenly.
7. Stand tall
Before cooking, run your finger around the inside rim of the soufflé dish, slightly inside the mixture. This helps the soufflé rise evenly and gives it the distinctive “top hat” appearance.
8. Setting standard
Soufflés are best when they’re still slightly runny in the centre. To check if a soufflé is set, gently tap the dish – it should wobble just a little bit. If the centre seems too fluid, cook for a few more minutes.
9. Draught dodger
Don’t worry if the soufflé sinks slightly when you open the oven door to check its progress. Close the door and the soufflé will rise when it heats up again. If a soufflé starts to deflate while you’re waiting to serve it, pop it back into the oven for 1-2 minutes and it should puff up again.
10. Cover the cracks
If a sweet soufflé cracks on the top, dust it with icing sugar or cocoa powder.
Australian Good Taste
FAQs
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.
Why is soufflé so hard to make? ›
If the egg whites are not mixed enough, they will be too heavy to rise, but if they are over-whipped they will collapse in the oven. Finally, and most problematically, any cross-contamination between yolks and whites will cause the whole concoction to collapse, which is the bane of many dessert chefs' days.
How do you make a soufflé rise evenly? ›
A generous coating of melted butter and sugar helps the soufflé to rise evenly. The sugar helps the soufflé to 'climb' up the ramekin dish. Alternatively, if preparing a ramekin for a savoury soufflé using breadcrumbs instead of sugar.
Does opening an oven ruin a soufflé? ›
Opening the oven door while it bakes
It is a bad habit, to say the least, but especially with soufflé. A sudden temperature change can cause fragile baked goods like these to collapse or crack.
Are soufflés supposed to be gooey? ›
Setting standard. Soufflés are best when they're still slightly runny in the centre. To check if a soufflé is set, gently tap the dish – it should wobble just a little bit. If the centre seems too fluid, cook for a few more minutes.
Should a soufflé be wet in the middle? ›
How to check when the souffle is perfectly done: To know if the souffle is perfectly cooked inside, you stick a kitchen needle into the middle. It must come out totally clean. If, on the contrary, it comes out wet and covered with egg, prolong the cooking for 2-3 minutes.
Do soufflés always deflate? ›
Though they are delicious, half the fun is in the presentation. Some deflating is bound to happen after they come out of the oven and start to cool, but a total collapse indicates that something has gone wrong.
What are two important steps to ensure a perfect soufflé? ›
According to La Varenne Practique (a timeless masterwork you should consider owning if learning more about classic French cooking appeals), there are only a few critical points to perfecting a souffle: a base of the right consistency, stiff egg whites, and the careful folding of the base and the beaten whites.
Can you make soufflé without ramekins? ›
A ramekin with straight sides will help the soufflé rise but you can bake them in almost anything that can go in the oven. I sometimes like to bake them in a frying pan or baking dish and serve sharing style directly on the table.
Do you have to serve soufflé immediately? ›
Serve the soufflé immediately.
The soufflé will deflate slightly after a few minutes, so it's best to serve it immediately. Plus, it's so delicious warm from the oven!
If the dish is too small, the soufflé will overflow; if too big, it may not rise above the rim and look elegant. 2. It is easiest to separate eggs cleanly when they are refrigerator cold. However, egg whites whip to greater volume when they are at room temperature.
Do you need cream of tartar for soufflé? ›
Mustard and cayenne pepper or hot sauce add subtle flavor to the soufflé but are not absolutely necessary. Cream of tartar is not required, but it can help prevent accidentally overbeating the egg whites; if you have it, you might as well add it.
What ingredient makes a soufflé rise? ›
The motion of beating egg whites traps air into the mix. The egg white protein seals around pockets of air, creating bubbles. Egg yolks are separated out because their fat prevents those bubbles from forming. Those air bubbles expand in the oven, creating that famous cloud-like formation of a soufflé.
What is the principle of soufflé? ›
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 are the key factors when making a soufflé? ›
Ten tips to keep your souffle high and handsome
- Use eggs at room temperature to maximise your rise. ...
- Preheat your oven to 200C. ...
- Use long straight strokes to butter your ramekins. ...
- Evenly coat the inside of the ramekin with sugar (or cheese or breadcrumbs if you are doing a savoury souffle).
To our taste, it has a crusty exterior packed with flavor, a dramatic rise above the rim, an airy but substantial outer layer, and a rich, loose center that is not completely set. A great souffle must also convey a true mouth feel of flavor, bursting with the bright, clear taste of the main ingredient.
What is the science behind the perfect 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.
