The inspiration behind this unique souffle is the sweet and tart citrus flavors that we savor to bridge the passage from Winter into Spring. Like the changing of seasons, this dish transitions between richer flavors such as cardamom, chocolate and ancho, to brighter seasonal flavors of honey and blood orange.
Using the ingredients at Modernist Pantry we set forth a challenge to prepare a souffle that could be served without the aid of its traditional serving vessel – the ramekin. The secret technique is to stabilize the egg whites using Versawhip, a modern ingredient with its base in soy protein. The reinforced souffle was able to rise with strong enough walls to allow us to unmold it and be completely free formed. We also wanted to use a head to tail approach, such as many recipes that savory chefs prepare. So we candied the Blood Orange Peel and prepared recipes that added great depth of flavor and texture, with zero waste
Compressed Cardamom Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 105g. Eggs (2 Large eggs)
- 300g. Sugar
- 115g. Vegetable Oil
- 70g. Cocoa Powder (high quality)
- 165g. All-Purpose Flour
- 6g. Baking Powder
- 4g. Ground Cardamom
- 105g. Heavy Cream
- 200g. Whole Milk
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- ½ Sheet Tray
- Vacuum Seal Machine
- Vacuum Seal Bag
Timing
Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes
Yield
½ Sheet Tray
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Combine Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Whisk the eggs, sugar and vegetable oil in a stand-up mixer on medium speed.
Whisk for 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is nice, white, and creamy.
Combine the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and cardamom and sieve.
Combine the heavy cream and milk together.
Alternately add the dry and liquid to the whipped eggs until all combined.
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Bake Cake and Vacuum
Place mixture into a parchment lined ½ sheet tray and bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean and cool.
Once cooled cut the cake to fit into a vacuum seal bag. Sandwich the chocolate cake between two pieces of parchment paper and slide the cake into the vacuum bag. Vacuum seal the cake on high to compress.
Remove the cake from the bag and peel off the parchment paper. Cut out rounds with a 3-inch ring cutter and set aside.
Blood Orange Souffle
Ingredients
- 500g. Blood Orange Juice, Fresh Squeezed (approximately 20 blood oranges, save peel for sherbet)
- 40g. Corn Starch
- Souffle
- 360g. Egg Whites
- 8g. VersaWhip 600K
- 240g. Sugar
- 20 Drops, Orange Flavor Drops
- 8x rounds of Compressed Cardamom Chocolate Cake
- 226g. Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 50g. Corn Starch
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Heavy Bottom Medium Pan
- eight 3-Inch-Wide Ring Molds
- Disposable Piping Bags
Timing
Active Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Yield
8 Soufflés
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Create Blood Orange Juice
In a heavy bottom medium pan combine the cornstarch and blood orange juice and whisk until smooth.
Place on the stove on medium heat and whisk until it simmers. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and place mixture into a bowl to cool. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap. Press the plastic wrap directly onto the blood orange base to make sure it does not form a skin.
This base can be stored and used for 3 days, this base will make about 3 batches.
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Combine Cornstarch & Butter
To make the cornstarch coating for the paper ramekins simply cream together the butter and cornstarch for 5 minutes or until smooth and light in color.
Preheat convection oven to 350°F.
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Create Soufflé Meringue
On a very low speed in a stand mixer whisk the egg whites and the versawhip. It’s important to start slowly to create small uniform sturdy air bubbles.
Mix for 2-3 minutes or until nice and frothy.
Slowly add the sugar until fully incorporated, whisk on medium speed for 10 minutes.
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Prepare Ramekins
Meanwhile prep your ramekins, cut 4” by 12” strips of parchment paper.
Brush eight 3-inch-wide ring molds with the cornstarch and butter mixture.
Brush both sides of the parchment and place the parchment inside the ring.
Finish remaining ramekins and place a slice of cake in each one.
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Pipe Soufflés
Once the whites are ready, in a separate bowl whisk together 160g of souffle base and flavor drops.
Add ¼ of the whites to the base and whisk together quickly to avoid air loss from the meringue.
Add this mixture back to the whites and gently fold together.
Place mixture in a disposable piping bag and cut a 2-inch hole. Be careful not to cut too small, so you are not forcing out the air when piping.
Pipe the mixture into the lined ring cutter and pipe to the top of the ring cutter.
Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, place on serving plate and remove ring mold with tongs.
Candied Blood Orange
Ingredients
- 20 Blood Orange Peel, Reserved From Souffle Base
- 1500ml. Water
- 1500g. Sugar
Equipment
- Heavy bottom Stock Pot
Timing
Active Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 24 Hours
Yield
2 Quarts Rinds
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Prepare Rinds
Slice the rinds into ¼ inch strips.
In a heavy bottom stock pot add cut peels and cover with water.
Bring to a boil, shut off heat and let cool and strain.
Repeat with fresh water 3-5 times until the rinds are softened and not bitter.
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Add Sugar
In the same pot, bring the water and 1kg of sugar to a boil to dissolve sugar, then re-add peels.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour or until it has thickened to a syrup.
Strain and cool.
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Separate & Store
Reserve the remaining syrup for the sherbet recipe.
Once cool, place the candied peel on a cooling rack on a sheet tray and dry overnight.
Place the remaining sugar in a bowl and coat the dried peels in sugar.
Place back on the cooling rack and dry overnight.
Candied Blood Orange Sherbet
Ingredients
- 20 Blood Orange Peel, Reserved From Souffle Base
- 950 ml. Milk
- 300g. Reserved Candied Rind Syrup
- 4 Lemons (zested and juiced)
- 50g. Sugar
- 6.25g Perfect Sorbet (sorbet stabilizer)
- 200g. Candied Blood Orange Rinds
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Create Sherbet Base
Combine the milk, peel syrup and zest of lemons.
In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar and Perfect Sorbet and whisk together until combined. The sugar granules will coat the Perfect Sorbet and assist with its mixing.
Add the Perfect Sorbet mix to the milk and bring to a simmer.
Remove from heat and place in the refrigerator. Let the milk cool completely, If you skip this step the milk will curdle.
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Add Juice, Peels, & Churn
Once cool, strain and add juice.
Pour 500g into each paco container, add 100g of the candied blood orange peels to each container and freeze solid.
Once frozen, churn in pacojet.
Blood Orange Tuiles
Ingredients
- 100g Candied Orange Peels
- 100g Butter, Unsalted Room Temperature
- 100g Flour
- 45g Water
- 0.5g Salt
Equipment
- Blender
- Stand Up Mixer
- Non Stick Baking Mat
- Sheet Tray
Timing
Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Yield
1 Cup Tuile Mix
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Create Tuile Batter
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a blender blend the candied orange peels and water until coarsely chopped.
Add the butter and blend until semi smooth, there should be small bits of the peel left in the mixture.
Place the butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until it begins to lighten in color. About 1 minute.
Sieve the flour. Turn the mixer to slow speed, add all the flour and salt at once. Mix just until combined (do not overmix).
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Spread and Bake
Using a small offset spatula, spread a 1/16th inch thick strip of the batter on non stick mat. We like to clean one side of the strip into a perfect rectangle and have the other side be more organic. Also the orange peel pieces can make this tricky but we like the imperfections it makes in the tuiles.
Bake until golden brown and form into whatever shape you like for the dish.
Honey Ancho Curd
Ingredients
- 120g Egg Yolks, Large
- 340g Ancho Reyes Liqueur
- 30g Blood Orange Juice
- 175g Honey
- 3 Sheets PerfectaGel Silver Sheet Gelatin, 160 Bloom
- 226g Butter
- 5g Salt
Equipment
- Immersion Circulator
- Blender
Timing
Active Time: 10 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes
Yield
1 Pint
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Mix Ancho Reyes
In a small pot heat 270g of the Ancho Reyes liqueur, reserve 60g for after the mixture has been heated. Heat the Ancho Reyes liqueur until it comes to a boil, allow it to reduce by half, 135g, about 2-3 minutes.
Using a immersion circulator, preheat the bath to 167°F.
Add the gelatin sheets to a container of ice cold water and allow it to bloom. This is not the water for the recipe, this water will be discarded after the gelatin has bloomed.
In a vacuum seal bag place the reduced Ancho Reyes liqueur, blood orange juice, eggs, honey, gelatin, and salt.
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Cook in Immersion Circulator
Place the bag in an immersion circulator that is set to 167°F for 30 minutes.
Once the mixture has been cooked, pour the contents into a blender and blend for 2 minutes.
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Blend and Combine
Add the reserved Ancho Reyes liqueur and pulse once or twice in the blender.
Place the curd in a small sealed container and allow it to cool completely, about 2 hours. The gelatin will need this time to set. For plating purposes you can gently heat the curd to thin it out.
Plating
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Plate Soufflé
Place 2 tablespoons of gently heated curd in the middle of the plate, tilt the plate and pour out the excess into a clean bowl.
Place a few pieces of chopped dried blood orange peel in the curd for decoration.
Remove the souffle from the oven and dust with powdered sugar.
Place the souffle in the center of the plate and place a quenelle of the sherbet on the center.
Garnish with the tuile and serve.
3 Comments.
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Can egg powder be used in making this soufflé even though is not a product you highlight here.
Yes it definitely can if you reconstitute it.