Just before I went up to university, i joined my sister (a chef) to cook for a really wealthy American family in Maine for the whole summer. This was to earn some dosh for my intended wild upcoming student lifestyle (I earned enough money to give me 3 years spending money, but that’s another story).  The most wondrous fact about our employers was that we had a huge kitchen, an unlimited budget and a Mercedes Benz at our disposal for collecting the groceries we would spend hours poring over in the local markets.

 

Because we were spoilt budget wise, my sister and I would sometimes practice a meal that we were going to feed our guests. On one occasion we rather daringly (for that read, stupidly) chose Grand Marnier souffle. We timed it exactly so we knew just when it would need putting in the oven to arrive in front of each guest piping hot. We decided to cook it the night they invited every famous politician who was in town at the time. It included a very lugubrious Austrian gentleman, who dominated the conversation by saying very little but taking a long time to do it…. and our timing was therefore in peril.

 

As we were clearing the plates away (we had given them a salmon en croute), we heard a loud ‘pop’ from the kitchen. We approached the AGA (bought for my sister, I might add)  with some trepidation, and opened the door. The combination of overcooking and alcohol had taken its toll. It had done for our puds. The souffle had spontaneously combusted. There were a host of beautiful, empty ramekins in the oven and not a scrap of souffle mixture in sight. So when cooking this marvellous pud…make sure you do not have a boring Austrian gentleman at your dinner table….

 

 

 Image

This is what is SHOULD look like!

 

GRAND MARNIER SOUFFLE

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

4 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons Grand Marnier or a smidgeon more to make extra boozy

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°; place a baking sheet on the middle rack.
  2. Coat 6 (8-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray.
  3. Sprinkle each dish with 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, shaking and turning to coat.
  4. Place egg yolks in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium-high speed until thick and pale, slowly adding 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  5. Beat  for 2 minutes. Then beat in liqueur and vanilla.
  6. Place egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and the salt; beat mixture until soft peaks form. 
  7. Gradually add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. 
  8. Gently stir one-fourth of egg white mixture into liqueur mixture. Gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture
  9. Divide evenly among the prepared ramekins.
  10. Place soufflé dishes on baking sheet in oven; bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until tall and golden brown (soufflés will rise 1 1/2 to 2 inches above the dish rim). Quickly dust soufflés with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.