By Harold McGee
Published 2004
Soufflé bases are made from a broad range of ingredients. Those that contain just egg yolks, sugar, and flavoring are the lightest and most delicate and produce the equivalent of the omelette soufflée, often called soufflé à la minute because it can be made quickly with no advance preparation. A concentrated sugar syrup will make the bubble walls more viscous and stable, as will the various carbohydrates (cellulose, pectin, starch) in pureed fruits and vegetables, and the proteins in a puree of cooked meat, fish, or poultry. If the pureed flesh is raw, then its proteins will coagulate during the cooking along with the egg whites and provide substantial reinforcement to the foam. The starchy brown particles in cocoa and chocolate stiffen the bubble walls by both absorbing moisture and getting sticky and swollen as they do so.
Unlimited, ad-free access to hundreds of the world’s best cookbooks
Over 160,000 recipes with thousands more added every month
Recommended by leading chefs and food writers
Powerful search filters to match your tastes
Create collections and add reviews or private notes to any recipe
Swipe to browse each cookbook from cover-to-cover
Manage your subscription via the My Membership page
Advertisement
Advertisement