Grand Marnier Souffle

Grand Marnier Souffle

Weekends are the only time I get to bake what I want to eat. During the week, sometimes I'm just too tired after work.

After the success of the chocolate souffle, I had been wanting to try this souffle for a long time. Finally Sunday presented the perfect opportunity.

The recipe is pretty simple and yields two large souffles (perfect for couples or one really hungry girl)

Grand Marnier Souffle (recipe adapted from Eugenie's Kitchen)

Ingredients:

14g unsalted butter
10g plain flour
120ml warm milk
1 T Grand Marnier
30g caster sugar
2 eggs (separated)
pinch of cream of tartar
pinch of salt
icing sugar for dusting

extra butter and sugar to coat the ramekins

Prepare the souffle dishes - 2 large ramekins or 4 small ones - by brushing them well with the butter. Brush upwards like how the souffle will rise. Then coat the interior with sugar and keep.

First we make the roux. So melt the butter in  a saucepan. Once it starts to foam, add the flour and mix well.
The mixture will start to bubble and cook.

After a minute or so, remove from heat, add the warm milk bit but bit and whisk away. This ensures there are no lumps. Add all the milk and whisk. Return to the heat and let the mixture boil and thicken. It should form ribbons on itself when lifted. This is called a bechamel.

Remove from the heat. Add the salt and  mix well. Then add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well again. Transfer the mixture into another bowl to prevent further cooking from the warm pan it is in. Add the Grand Marnier and stir through.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites together with the cream of tarter until foamy soft peaks. Then gradually add the caster sugar and whisk until firm and glossy. Again we want soft peaks. This is the French Meringue.

Once we have the bechamel and meringue done - now we have to carefully incorporate them. Take a large spoonful of the meringue and drop into the bechamel and whisk through. This is to lighten the bechamel mixture which will make it easier to mix with the remaining meringue.

Then add the lightened bechamel mixture into the meringue and carefully fold through making sure not the deflate the batter too much. Remember we want all that air in the mixture.

Once all well mixed, pour into the prepared ramekins and using the thumb, clean the edges of the ramekins.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180'C for 12 to 15 mins. I baked it for 15 mins as the ramekins were large.

Serve straight out of the oven ! The souffle will only stay elevated for about 10 minutes. After that - it slowly starts to deflate. Which is why this dessert is a made to order item in many restaurants.

Enjoy !