SUNDAY DESSERT #31: Vanilla Soufflé
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: France 🇫🇷
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Advanced
INSPIRATION: Ok. THIS is the ONE dessert I've been avoiding to make since I began baking as a teenager. All I've ever heard from fellow bakers is how they are arguably the most complex and difficult dessert to master. Unless you are super experienced in soufflé science, they usually fall flat. Well, I am a scientist by trade, so today is the day that I'm going to conquer my fear and push aside all the negative self-talk. Be the results fluffy or flat, I will put on my big-girl panties and attempt the dreaded soufflé!
RECEPTION/COMMENTARY: You would think with the simplicity of ingredients that this dessert couldn't be that difficult. It's just eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and vanilla. Oh, but how you mix and the order you put those ingredients together and the oven science makes a huge difference in the final result. How the French ever figure these things out is one of life's mysteries.
I was a mental wreck through all this. Those little negative thoughts kept creeping into my head about how it won't work, how I'm not good enough, maybe just make chocolate chip cookies, blah blah blah. Eventually I had to put some French music on to regain my courage and let my inner "master chef" come out. I also spoke to the ingredients with a French accent in hopes they would behave.
So I allowed myself three experimental trials. I'll have you know that all three looked gorgeous in the oven! They were perfectly puffed and so professional. The trouble came when they were taken out of the oven...
Attempt #1: The recipe said 375° for 25-30 minutes. I started with that but took it out a whole 10 minutes early because the tops looked like they were burning. Yeah...burnt tops + underdone base = collapse larger than the craters of the moon. 😂
Attempt #2: I reduced the heat from 375° to 365° in hopes it wouldn't burn and give the base more time to bake up. To make up for the lower temperature, I added 10 more minutes to the baking time. It's a lot better, but still not a soufflé.
Attempt #3: Choices, choices. I decided to go back up to 375° but move the oven rack down a couple notches to see if that would decrease it's chance of burning. I also wanted to see if keeping it in for the full 25 minutes would actually help it stay set. Nope. Burnt to a crisp and flat; kinda like my hopes at this point.
Sigh...not only have I never made a true soufflé, I've never tasted one before either. And I can't really count these attempts as tasting one because I'm not sure how accurate it would be (they were kinda gross...like sugary eggs).
So is it the oven? The recipe? Did I just botch the whole technique? Perhaps all three? I don't know. But whatever! I am extremely pleased with myself for overcoming my fear of (kind of) making soufflé!
P.S. I did make chocolate chip cookies to help reboost my self-esteem and give my mouth some much needed sugar love. 😋 🍪
WOULD I MAKE IT AGAIN? I am curious to troubleshoot and experiment more until I master the soufflé! If you have successfully made one, tips and fool-proof recipes are much appreciated!
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