WAYS WITH SOUFFLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1938, Page 10

WAYS WITH SOUFFLES

SPEED THE GREAT ESSENTIAL. CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE DISHES. Exactly what is a souffle? Well, it should be, if properly made, the lightest of sweet or savoury puddings, and is composed of a batter basis with the yolks of eggs, flavouring, and other light ingredients, such as cheese or chocolate, which require little or no cooking. The souffle appearance is obtained by adding the whipped whites of eggs stiffly beaten to the mixture just before baking or steaming, if the souffle is a hot one, or cream and gelatine in the case of cold souffles. The great point in making any souffle is speed. Everything must be done quickly. To make a steamed souffle, first prepare the souffle dish, which should be perfectly plain and round. Plenty of greasing inside is necessary. A band of paper is then tied round the outside of the case to project about six inches above the case. This also needs greasing. Place the souffle mixture into the mould about half-way up, as the souffle rises a good deal. Next, put the tin into a pan of simmering water and cook gently. Too hot water will make the mixture rise too quickly, with the result that the centre' is not cooked in time and the mixture falls down after a few minutes. When done, a steamed souffle should be turned out and served immediately with sauce poured rourjd the dish. Fish Souffle.

Take 1? cupfuls flaked fish, 1 small onion, 1| cupfuls milk, 21- tablespoonfuls butter, 2 tablespoonfuls flour, J teaspoonful salt, pepper, 3 eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs, caper sauce. / Peel and quarter onion and simmer for five minutes in milk; remove onion. Melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, blend in flour; add milk gradually and cook five minutes, or until mixture is thick and smooth, Stirring constantly; season with salt and pepper. Remove • from heat, add fish, and mix well together.' Stir in well-beaten egg-yolks, then fold in stiffly beaten. Turn into a grea.sed souffle case, cover with breadcrumbs, and dot with remaining butter. Bake about one hour in a moderate oven. Serve with caper sauce. Lemon Vanilla Souffle. Take 3 eggs, -Joz gelatine, 1 cupful milk, i pint cream, 3 tablespoonfuls castor sugar, juice lemons, i cupful water, little extra cream for decorating, cherries. Soak gelatine in the water. Make a custard with milk and egg-yolks, add lemon juice, melted gelatine, and sugar. When cold add one teaspoonful vanilla essence. When beginning to set add very lightly the stiffly-whip-ped egg-whites and cream, also whipped. Pour into a prepared souffle dish. Before v serving decorate top with whipped cream ,and cherries. Chicken Souffle. Take 2 cupfuls cold minced chicken, 1 teaspoonful salt, 2 tablespoonfuls butter, 4 eggs, 2 tablespoonfuls flour, J- cupful breadcrumbs, 2 cupfuls scalded milk, 1 teaspoonful minced parsley. Melt butter in a saucepan.. Stir in flour and seasoning. Stir till frothy and add milk gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, till a thick, smooth cream. Add. crumbs, chicken, and parsley, then beaten egg-yolks and stiffly-frothed egg-whites. Bake in a buttered souffle dish in a slow oven tor thirty-five minutes. Maryland Souffle. Take 1 cupful milk, 1 cupful grated cheese, 3 eggs, 3 teaspoonfuls minced parsley, salt, paprika, and pepper, 1 cupful tinned corn, 1 tablespoonful melted butter, 1 cupful breadcrumbs. Soak the crumbs in the milk for ten minutes, then stir in corn, cheese, butter, well-beaten yolks of eggs, and seasoning to taste. Lastly fold in the stiffly-beaten egg-whites and bake in well-buttered individual souffle dishes in a moderate oven .for half an hour. When ready, sprinkle each with minced parsley. Marrow Souffle.

Take 2 cupfuls mashed boiled marrow, teaspoonfuls salt, pepper to taste, 1 cupful thin white sauce, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoonful grated onion. Pepper, san, marrow, sauce, and onion should be mixed well together. Stir in lightly-beaten egg-yolks, then lightly fold in stiffly-frothed whites. Turn into a buttered pie-dish, and bake thirty minutes till firm.

Chocolate Ginger Souffle. Take loz cocoa, butter (or margarine), 1 pint milk, 3oz flour, 3 eggs 2 tablespoonfuls sugar, 3oz preserved ginger, 2 tablespoonfuls ginger syrup.

Sieve the flour. Put the milk and butter in a saucepan and leave until the butter has melted and the milk is boiling well. Add the flour, stir it in quickly, and beat until smooth, and continue to stir over a low gas until the mixture leaves the sides of ihe pan; then draw to the side and cool slightly. Separate the yolks from the whites of eggs. Add the yolks separately to the mixture- in the saucepan, beating each one in thoroughly before adding the next. When al! are added, stir in the cocoa, sugar, and ginger, cut into small pieces, also the ginger syrup. Whisk the egg-whites to a very stiff froth, then fold in lightly. Put the mixture into a prepared souffle case, cover with a greased paper, and steam gently for about one hour, then turn out very carefully on to a hot dish and serve.

Pineapple Souffle. Take 1 tin sliced pineapple, 11 gills milk, 4oz castor sugar, 2 eggs, 1 extra white, i’oz gelatine, crystallised roses. Separate the yolks from the whites of eggs. Beat the yolks and add to them the milk. Pour this into a jug, stand the jug in a saucepan of cold water, and stir the custard over the fire until it thickens, being careful not to let it get too hot or it will curdle. When cooked, stand aside to cool. Rub the pineapple slices through a hair or wire sieve, then mix with ihe custard and castor’ sugar. Dissolve the gelatine in about half a gill of the pineapple syrup, but do not boil it. Add a pinch of salt to the eggwhites and beat them to a stiff froth, then lightly fold them into the pineapple, etc. Lastly strain in the dissolved gelatine and stir it all togeth-i er. Rinse a fancy mould with cold water. Pour this mixture into it and leave in a cold place to set.

Small Cheese Souffle. Take 2oz cheese, 1 egg-yolk, 2 eggwhites, 1 gill milk, i gill water, 4 sheets leaf gelatine, salt, pepper, and mixed mustard. Beat the egg-yolk, heat the milk, and add to it, and cook in a double boiler until it thickens, keeping it stirred occasionally. Remove from the pan and leave until cold. Grate the cheese finely (use a hard, wellflavoured cheese- and add to the custard. Season with salt, pepper, and mixed mustard. Dissolve gelatine in a saucepan with the water, and strain into the cheese mixture. Leave until beginning to set. Whisk tiie eggwhites to a stiff froth and fold in lightly. Put in small souffle cases and, when quite set, sprinkle a little finelygrated cheese on top of each. Sufficient to fill ten small souffle cases.