Kahlua Souffle with Ground Espresso

By norsegal8

Make the soufflé base and immediately begin beating the whites before the base cools too much. Once the whites have reached the proper consistency, they must be used at once. Do not open the oven door during the first 15 minutes of baking time; as the soufflé nears the end of its baking, you may check its progress by opening the oven door slightly. (Be careful here; if your oven runs hot, the top of the soufflé may burn.) A quick dusting of confectioners' sugar is a nice finishing touch, but a soufflé waits for no one, so be ready to serve it immediately. Espresso beans, ground fine in a coffee grinder, will make this dessert soufflé taste like a tawny cappuccino. If you do not have espresso beans, substitute an equal amount of instant espresso, adding it along with the milk in step 2 so that it dissolves.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons sifted cocoa powder
• 5 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons Kahlùa
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 1 1/2-quart porcelain soufflé dish with 1 tablespoon butter, making sure to coat all interior surfaces. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and cocoa in small bowl; pour into buttered soufflé dish and shake to coat bottom and sides with thick, even coating. Tap out excess and set dish aside.

2. Whisk flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt in small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk, whisking until smooth and no lumps remain. Bring mixture to boil over high heat, whisking constantly until thickened and mixture pulls away from sides of pan, about 3 minutes. Scrape mixture into medium bowl; whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until combined. Whisk in yolks until incorporated; stir in Kahlúa.

3. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon sugar at medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until frothy and no longer translucent, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, sprinkle in half remaining sugar; continue beating until whites form soft billowy peaks, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running, sprinkle in remaining sugar and beat until just combined, about 10 seconds. The whites should form soft peaks when beater is lifted, but should not appear Styrofoam-like or dry (see illustration 1, below).

4. Using rubber spatula, immediately stir one-quarter of beaten whites into soufflé base to lighten until almost no white streaks remain. Scrape remaining whites into base and fold in whites, along with finely ground espresso, with balloon whisk (see illustration 3, below) until mixture is just combined, gently flicking whisk after scraping up side of bowl to free any mixture caught in whisk. Gently pour mixture into prepared dish and run index finger through mixture, tracing circumference about 1/2-inch from side of dish, to help soufflé rise properly. Bake until surface of soufflé is deep brown, center jiggles slightly when shaken, and soufflé has risen 2 to 2 1/2-inches above rim of dish, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Recipe Testing
Getting the Soufflé Just Right


1. An underbaked soufflé will be wet and runny.

2. A perfectly baked soufflé will have a light, fluffy structure, but remain creamy.

3. An overbaked soufflé will be dry and cottony.
Technique
Whipping and Folding Egg Whites


1. The egg whites should be whipped until they have body and hold 2-inch peaks. Properly whipped peaks will be soft and graceful, not Styrofoam-like.

2. Stir one-quarter of the whites into the soufflé base to lighten it.

3. Turn the remaining whites into the lightened base. With a balloon whisk, use the same folding motion as with a rubber spatula, folding until no white streaks remain.