Citrus Soufflé

A combination of the sour and sweet varieties makes for a delicious and light dessert. Many people are scared of making soufflés but they are easy to prepare and cook the only obstacle is that they won't hang around once they have been cooked.

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Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Soufflé Base:

  • 200ml milk
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • zest of 1 orange

Soufflé:

  • juice of 1 lemon
  • juice of 1 jaffa orange
  • 8 egg whites
  • 50g caster sugar
  • butter and extra caster sugar for coating the ramekins or soufflè dish

To Serve

  • 6 tbsp of cointreau, warmed

Method

  1. Soufflé Base: Place the milk in a saucepan with the vanilla pod, lemon and orange zest, bring it to a strong simmer then remove it from the heat. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together until they are well combined, pale and creamy. Remove the vanilla from the milk and slowly whisk the milk into the creamed caster sugar and egg yolks until it is well combined. Pour this mixture into a saucepan and bring it to a strong simmer while mixing it with a wooden spoon, cook it for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl or similar container and cover with cling film. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature.
  2. Soufflé: Place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk them vigorously with a hand whisk or on a high speed with an electric one until they are thick and glossy. Reduce the speed and slow whisk in the sugar until combined. Then repeat the vigorous whisking until the egg whites thicken more (1-2 minutes).
  3. Add the lemon and orange juice to the pastry cream and mix it in until well combined.
  4. Using a metal spoon mix in a third of the egg whites to the soufflé base mixture until well combined. Then slowly fold in the remaining egg whites until it is well incorporated be careful to keep the volume in the egg whites.
  5. To Cook: Preheat an oven to 220°c. Grease 4-6 ramekins or small soufflé containers with butter and sprinkle them with a little extra caster sugar. Distribute the soufflé mixture among the ramekins or soufflé containers. Place them on the bottom shelf of an oven and leave them to cook for 12-15 minutes until well risen.
  6. To Serve: Serve the soufflés at once with or without a little warmed cointreau poured into them when served.