View source for Soufflé

{{Short description|Egg-based baked dish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox food
| name            = Soufflé
| image           = Bacon and Cheddar Cheese Soufflé.jpg
| caption         = [[Bacon]] and [[cheddar cheese]] soufflé with [[chives]]
| country         = [[France]]
| type            = [[List of egg dishes|Egg-based dish]]
| main_ingredient = [[Egg yolk]]s, [[egg white]]s
}}
A '''soufflé''' ({{IPA|fr|sufle|-|LL-Q150 (fra)-GrandCelinien-soufflé.wav}}) is a baked egg dish originating in France in the early 18th century. Combined with various other ingredients, it can be served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word ''soufflé'' is the [[past participle]] of the French verb {{lang|fr|{{linktext|souffler}}}}, which means to blow, breathe, inflate or puff.<ref name="Peterson 2012 p. 157"/><ref name="Taylor"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Soufflet |url=http://www.cnrtl.fr/definition/souffl%C3%A9 |website=cnrtl.fr |access-date=18 August 2015}}</ref>

==History==
The earliest mention of soufflé is attributed to the French master cook, [[François Massialot]], in the early 18th century.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Massialot |first=François |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k97850557/f67.image.r=soufflee |title=Le Nouveau cuisinier royal et bourgeois. Tome 3 |year=1730 |editor-last=Prudhomme |editor-first=C. |location=Paris |pages=37 |language=fr}}</ref> The development and popularisation of the soufflé is usually traced to the French chef [[Marie-Antoine Carême]] in the early nineteenth century.<ref>{{cite news |first=Patricia |last=Wells |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3028422/souffle_recipes_1978/ |title=Perfect Souffles Don't Require Expert Skills |newspaper=The Eagle |date=22 February 1978 |page=26 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Gina |last=Mallet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JC2jj5gSC60C&pg=PT57 |title=Last Chance to Eat: The Fate of Taste in a Fast Food World |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |year=2004 |pages=52–54 |isbn=9780393058413}}</ref>

==Ingredients and preparation==
Soufflés are typically prepared from two basic components:

# a flavored [[custard|crème pâtissière]],<ref name="Cloake 2011"/> cream [[sauce]] or [[Béchamel sauce|béchamel]],<ref name="Cloake 2011"/> or a [[purée]]<ref name="Taylor"/><ref name="Cloake 2011"/> as the base
# egg whites beaten to a soft peak<ref name="Taylor"/>

The base provides the flavor, and the egg whites provide the "lift" or puffiness to the dish.<ref name="Peterson 2012 p. 157"/><ref name="Taylor"/> Foods commonly used to flavor the base include [[herbs]], [[cheese]] and vegetables<ref name="Peterson 2012 p. 157"/> for savory soufflés; and [[jam]],<ref name="McCoy 2009 p. 231"/> fruits,<ref name="Beard 2015 p. 356"/> [[Berry|berries]],<ref name="Brownlee Caruso 2007 p. 73"/> [[chocolate]],<ref name="Rombauer Becker Becker Guarnaschelli 1997 p. 1033"/> [[banana]]<ref name="Pellaprat Tower 2012 p. 1383"/> and [[lemon]]<ref name="Zuckerman Rupp 2009 p. 170"/> for dessert soufflés.

Soufflés are generally baked in [[ramekin]]s or soufflé dishes: these are typically glazed, flat-bottomed, round [[porcelain]] containers with unglazed bottoms, vertical or nearly vertical sides and fluted exterior borders. The ramekin, or another baking vessel, may be coated with a thin film of butter to prevent the soufflé from sticking.<ref name="Cloake 2011"/> Some preparations also include adding a coating of sugar, bread crumbs, or a grated hard cheese such as [[parmesan]] inside the ramekin in addition to the butter; some cooks believe this allows the soufflé to rise more easily.<ref name="Cloake 2011"/>

After being cooked, a soufflé is puffed up and fluffy,<ref name="Taylor"/> and it will generally fall after 5 or 10 minutes (as risen dough does). It may be served with a sauce atop the soufflé, such as a sweet [[dessert sauce]],<ref name="Waldo 1990 p. 225"/><ref name="Metro 2013"/><ref name="Lewis 2013 p. 488"/> or with a sorbet or ice cream on the side.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.lakefrontbistro.com.au/lakefront-bistro-blog/orange-and-grand-mariner-souffle |title=Orange and Grand Mariner Soufflé |access-date=15 April 2017}}</ref> When served, the top of a soufflé may be punctured with serving utensils to separate it into individual servings.<ref name="Child Bertholle Beck 2011 p. 331"/> This can also enable a sauce to integrate into the dish.

<gallery class="center" widths="220" heights="150" classes="center">
File:Lemon Soufflé.jpg|Lemon soufflé
File:Soufflé.JPG|Cheese soufflés
File:Souffle Kyoto01n2820.jpg|A soufflé at a Japanese restaurant
File:Orange and Grand Mariner Soufflé.jpg|Soufflé in a ramekin
File:4 ingredient berry souffle.jpg|[[Berry]] soufflé in a coffee cup
</gallery>

==Variations==
There are a number of both savory and sweet soufflé flavor variations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hesser |first1=Amanda |title=The Modern Souffle: Bastion of Strength |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/08/dining/the-modern-souffle-bastion-of-strength.html |work=The New York Times |date=8 March 2000 |access-date=23 August 2015}}</ref> Savory soufflés often include cheese, and vegetables such as spinach,<ref name="Taylor"/> carrot<ref name="Tijerina 2015"/><ref name="WAFB 9 News"/> and herbs, and may sometimes incorporate poultry, bacon, ham, or seafood for a more substantial dish. Sweet soufflés may be based on a chocolate or fruit sauce (lemon or raspberry, for example) and are often served with a dusting of powdered sugar.<ref>{{cite book |first=Cindy |last=Mushet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7O5YpNRnpNoC&pg=PA375 |title=The Art and Soul of Baking |publisher=Andrews McMeel Publishing |year=2008 |page=375 |isbn=9780740773341}}</ref> Frugal recipes sometimes emphasize the possibilities for making soufflés from leftovers.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3028908/souffle_or_puff_recipes_in_1899/ |title=Good Cookery: Souffles, alias Puffs |newspaper=Fitchburg Sentinel |date=9 May 1899 |page=11 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{open access}}</ref>

A soufflé may be served alone, with ice cream,<ref name="Epicurious 2002"/> fruit, or a sauce.<ref name="Lewis 2013 p. 488"/>

Apple soufflé is made by lining a cake tin with pureed rice boiled in sweetened milk and baking it until it sets. The rice "border" is filled with thickened apple [[marmalade]] and whipped egg whites and baked until it rises.<ref>{{cite book |last=Beeton |first=Isabella|authorlink=Isabella Beeton |title=Mrs. Beeton's Dictionary of Every-day Cookery |year=1865 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hxQqAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA7}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" caption="Soufflé variations" widths="225px" heights="155px">
File:01 Cheese souffle.jpg|Cheese soufflé in a casserole dish
Chocolate souffle at Troquet.jpg|Chocolate soufflé
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Chawanmushi]]
* [[Chocolate fondant]] (''petit gâteau'')
* [[Fruit whip]]
* [[Salzburger Nockerl]]
* [[List of cakes]]
* [[List of custard desserts]]
* [[List of French dishes]]

==References==
<references>
<ref name="Peterson 2012 p. 157">{{cite book |last=Peterson |first=J. |title=Glorious French Food: A Fresh Approach to the Classics |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-544-18655-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lubHmYXyfLYC&pg=PT157 |pages=130–132}}</ref>

<ref name="McCoy 2009 p. 231">{{cite book |last=McCoy |first=J. |title=Healthy Meals for Less |publisher=Baker Publishing Group |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-4412-1087-6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mbxZbDt6n2EC&pg=PA231 |page=231}}</ref>

<ref name="Beard 2015 p. 356">{{cite book |last=Beard |first=J. |title=The James Beard Cookbook |publisher=Open Road Media |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-5040-0449-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OsEnBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA356 |page=356}}</ref>

<ref name="Rombauer Becker Becker Guarnaschelli 1997 p. 1033">{{cite book |last1=Rombauer |first1=I.S. |last2=Becker |first2=M.R. |last3=Becker |first3=E. |last4=Guarnaschelli |first4=M. |title=Joy of Cooking |publisher=Scribner |year=1997 |isbn=978-0-684-81870-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tbyW2LeXIOkC&pg=PA1033 |access-date=17 August 2015 |page=1033}}</ref>

<ref name="Brownlee Caruso 2007 p. 73">{{cite book |last1=Brownlee |first1=H. |last2=Caruso |first2=M. |title=The Low-Carb Gourmet: A Cookbook for Hungry Dieters |publisher=Random House Publishing Group |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-307-41721-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KSh6atwCNq0C&pg=PA73 |page=73}}</ref>

<ref name="Pellaprat Tower 2012 p. 1383">{{cite book |last1=Pellaprat |first1=H.P. |last2=Tower |first2=J. |title=The Great Book of French Cuisine |publisher=Vendome Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-0-86565-279-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-9DBtWQUL0C&pg=PA1383 |page=1383}}</ref>

<ref name="Zuckerman Rupp 2009 p. 170">{{cite book |last1=Zuckerman |first1=K. |last2=Rupp |first2=T. |title=The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle |publisher=Little, Brown |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-316-07033-1 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RfGJ60vgUvgC&pg=PA170 |page=170}}</ref>

<ref name="Tijerina 2015">{{cite web |last=Tijerina |first=Edmund |title=Recipe Swap: Carrot Soufflé |website=San Antonio Express-News |date=7 May 2015 |url=http://www.expressnews.com/food/recipes-cooking/article/Recipe-Swap-Carrot-Souffl-6249528.php |access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="Taylor">{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Carol |title=How to Make a Soufflé |website=[[Mother Earth News]] |date=March 1988 |url=http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-make-a-souffle-zmaz88mazgoe.aspx |access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="WAFB 9 News">{{cite web |title=Chef John Folse's Holiday Carrot Soufflé |website=WAFB 9 News |date=6 November 2001 |url=http://www.wafb.com/story/537660/chef-john-folses-holiday-carrot-souffl |access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref>

<!-- not used <ref name="Le Cordon Bleu">{{cite web |url=http://www.cordonbleu.edu/news/technique-souffle/en |title=The best way to prepare soufflé dishes or ramekins |publisher=Le Cordon Bleu |access-date=16 August 2015}}</ref>-->

<ref name="Epicurious 2002">{{cite web |title=Warm Milk Chocolate Souffles with Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe |website=[[Epicurious]] |date=1 November 2002 |url=http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/warm-milk-chocolate-souffles-with-vanilla-ice-cream-107329 |access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="Waldo 1990 p. 225">{{cite book |last=Waldo |first=M. |title=The Soufflé Cookbook |publisher=Dover Publications |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-486-26416-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6RYJrIAoBYUC&pg=PA225 |page=225}}</ref>

<ref name="Metro 2013">{{cite web |title=Shivi Ramoutar's coconut soufflé with rum sauce |website=Metro |date=1 July 2013 |url=http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/01/how-to-make-shivi-ramoutars-coconut-souffle-with-rum-sauce-3861244/ |access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref>

<ref name="Child Bertholle Beck 2011 p. 331">{{cite book |last1=Child |first1=J.|authorlink=Julia Child |last2=Bertholle |first2=L. |last3=Beck |first3=S. |title=Mastering the Art of French Cooking |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |issue=v. 1 |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-307-95817-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CFdcCy_AYAkC&pg=PA331 |page=331}}</ref>

<ref name="Lewis 2013 p. 488">{{cite book |last=Lewis |first=E. |title=In Pursuit of Flavor |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-385-35082-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H7QvikMjEowC&pg=PA488 |pages=488–490}}</ref>

<ref name="Cloake 2011">{{cite web |last=Cloake |first=Felicity |title=How to cook perfect cheese soufflé |website=[[The Guardian]] |date=15 September 2011 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/sep/15/how-to-cook-perfect-cheese-souffl |access-date=17 August 2015}}</ref>
</references>

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Soufflé}}
* {{Cookbook-inline|Soufflé}}

{{Cakes}}
{{Eggs}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Soufflé}}
[[Category:Custard desserts]]
[[Category:Egg dishes]]
[[Category:French desserts]]