Hi there!
A couple of weeks ago I told you guys about a brand new cookbook, in my life anyway, which focused on cooking for two by America’s Test Kitchen.
I shared their really yummy recipe for brownies for two and today I’m back with another from their book, an easy lemon soufflé for two!
Now I’ve always wanted to try a soufflé and whenever you see the Michelin starred chefs at work in the media, there is always a beautifully formed one in the works.
As if that wasn’t enough to make me nervous about making my own, the soufflé is always the butt of the joke when a cartoon or show wants to show how terrible a cook someone is, where the soufflé poofs and sinks!
So with those thoughts in my head I ventured with wary determination and recipe in hand to make sure I didn’t end up with the evil deflated soufflé!
Thankfully this recipe didn’t steer me wrong and my soufflé turned out puffed and delicious!
I can understand why so many people eat them now, they have a unique texture (or at least mine did) of a sort of thin layer of moist cake on the bottom and, for this flavour, lemon meringue on the top.
Do eat it right away though, as time goes by it will start to deflate!
This recipe uses an 8 inch frying pan, rather than ramekins, and will need to be suitable for use on the hob and in the oven.
Please use unwaxed lemons for this, as well as having peel that doesn’t have chemicals all over it, the flavour and amount of juice is much better too, though they don’t last quite as long and there are more pips, so make sure not to get those in your final dessert!
America’s Test Kitchen Easy Lemon Soufflé For Two
Serves 2
Special Equipment: Oven safe 8 inch frying pan
Ingredients
3 large eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon plain flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon of grated unwaxed lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of juice (approx 1-2 unwaxed lemons)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Icing sugar to dust
Method
Adjust the oven rack to the middle shelf and heat to 190oc.
In a bowl, beat the egg yolks and the 4 tablespoons of sugar until pale and thick.
Add the flour and the lemon zest and juice and beat until combined.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until they are soft billowy mounds, gradually add the 2 tablespoons of sugar and the salt and beat until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold in a quarter of the egg whites until there are almost no white streaks then add the rest,again gently folding until combined.
On a medium heat, add the butter to the frying pan, once it melts, swirl it to cover the entire surface of the pan then gently add in the soufflé mix.
Cook until the edges of the soufflé begin to cook, less than a minute, then transfer to the oven, baking until puffed and golden, 6-8 minutes.
Don’t check before the 6 minutes to make sure it inflates fully!
Finally remove the pan with oven gloves and place one over the handle of your pan to prevent burning yourself.
Dust over some icing sugar and serve in the pan right away!
