Soufflé

A soufflé (French: [su.fle]) is a baked egg-based dish which originated in early eighteenth century France. It is made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means "to breathe" or "to puff".

History

The earliest mention of the soufflé is attributed to French master cook Vincent de la Chapelle, circa the early eighteenth century. The development and popularization of the soufflé is usually traced to French chef Marie-Antoine Carême in the early nineteenth century.

Ingredients and preparation

Soufflés are typically prepared from two basic components:

The base provides the flavor and the egg whites provide the "lift", or puffiness to the dish. Foods commonly used to flavor the base include herbs, cheese and vegetables for savory soufflés and jam, fruits,berries,chocolate,banana and lemon for dessert soufflés.

Ramekin

A ramekin (/ˈræmɪkɪn/, /ˈræmkɪn/; also spelled ramequin) is a small glazed ceramic or glass bowl used for cooking and serving various dishes.

Name

The word is from French ramequin, originally a cheese- or meat-based dish baked in a small mold. The French word comes from early modern Flemish rammeken, which meant 'toast' or 'roasted minced meat', itself apparently from ram 'battering ram' + -kin 'diminutive', but it is unclear why.

Usage

With a typical volume of 50–250 ml (1.8–8.8 imp fl oz; 1.7–8.5 US fl oz), ramekins are commonly used for preparing and serving individual portions of a variety of dishes such as crème brûlée, French onion soup, molten chocolate cake, moin moin, cheese or egg dishes, poi, potted shrimps, ice cream, soufflé, baked cocottes, crumbles, or scallops, or used to serve side garnishes and condiments alongside an entrée.

Traditionally circular with a fluted exterior, ramekins can also be found in novelty shapes, such as flowers, hearts or stars.

Ramekins are often built to withstand high temperatures, as they are frequently used in ovens, or in the case of crème brûlée, exposed to the flame of a cooking torch.

Soufflé (disambiguation)

A soufflé is a light, fluffy, baked dish made with egg yolks. It may also refer to:

See also