Souffle is one of those desserts that people don’t often attempt because they either think it’s too difficult or they have heard horror stories! That’s too bad because these mixed berry souffles are quick to make (most of it can be done ahead!) and are a light and quick summer dessert. Yes, souffle begins to deflate as soon as you remove it from the oven, but if you have everything prepared, you can get this dessert to the table while still spectacular!
The Recipe
by volume by weight
1½ cups mixed berries 195 grams mixed berries
3 tablespoons sugar 37 grams sugar
3/4 teaspoon grated 2 grams lemon zest
lemon zest
2 tablespoons orange juice 28 grams orange juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch 27 grams cornstarch
3 large egg whites 150 grams egg whites
Directions
Combine 1 cup of the berries with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the lemon zest.
Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring and mashing the berries. Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange juice and add to the boiling berry mixture.
Stir constantly and continue to cook for 30 to 45 seconds until the mixture is thick and not cloudy.
Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining berries, and then let the mixture cool completely.
Heat the oven to 350F. Lightly coat the inside of the ramekins with butter or oil and then with sugar. Be sure to shake out the excess. Place a tablespoon of the berry mixture in the bottom of each ramekin.
Beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.
Fold approximately 1/3 of the whipped whites into the berry mixture to lighten it.
Then fold in the remaining whites. Divide the mixture between the ramekins and smooth the tops with a spatula. Run your thumb around the top edge of each souffle to create a small groove. This will help the souffle to rise up straight.
Put the souffles immediately into the oven. I used small ramekins that are 2½ inches in diameter so mine only baked about 10 minutes. Larger souffles (4 inches in diameter) will need about 18 minutes and a single, large souffle needs about 25 minutes.
Time is of the essence when serving souffles. This is a souffle after 10 minutes out of the oven — not as pretty but still delicious!
Alternatives
The really nice part about making this souffle is that a good deal of it can be prepared ahead of time. Make the berry mixture and the refrigerate. When you are ready to make the souffles all you need to do is whip the egg whites, fold them in, and bake. It only takes a few minutes to get this lovely dessert ready to serve!
These souffles can be made with any combination of berries you wish. I like the combination of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries and that is what I used here. A single variety of berry works equally well and strawberries are also a nice addition. If you like, add a bit of liqueur to the berry mixture after removing it from the stovetop. Framboise and Chambord are nice complements to berry flavors.
Serve these souffles with a sauce if you like. A berry sauce will enhance the flavor of the souffles or you might serve a light chocolate sauce if you like the chocolate/fruit combination. A vanilla sauce would also be a nice side. Just be sure any sauce you choose is prepared and ready to be served as soon as the souffles are removed from the oven.
