Warm Lemon Souffle

Whenever I’m in a sour mood or feeling down, I reach into my fruit drawer, and pull out my lemons.  For me, lemons are not synonymous with problems – lemons are the solution.

I had been wanting to make a lemon soufflé for several weeks now.  The first recipe I tried had a good lemon flavor, but did not puff as much as I would have liked.  It also had a faint taste of the corn starch that figured prominently among the ingredient list.

I scrapped that recipe, and created my own, looking to my past soufflé recipes and the basic lemon components of the recipe I had found online.  The result was utterly delicious!

So, the next time life gives you lemons, don’t settle for lemonade when you can have warm lemon soufflés!

warm lemon soufflé

PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes
YIELD: 6 Soufflés

WHAT TO GRAB:
3 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for greasing
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup low-fat milk, at room temperature
3 egg yolks
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
6 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Generously butter six 6-ounce ramekins, and dust the bottom and sides of the dish with sugar.

2.  In a medium saute pan, melt the butter over low-medium heat.  Just as the foam subsides, add the flour, whisking constantly, so that the roux does not burn.  Slowly add the milk to the mixture, and continue to whisk until smooth and thick.  Once thick, remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time. Then whisk in the lemon juice and lemon zest.  Put the mixture to the side.

3.  In a large, clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy and slightly opaque. Once slightly opaque, and with the mixer running, add the cream of tartar, the salt, and the sugar (about 2 tablespoons at a time). Continue beating until the egg whites are stiff, but not dry. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the lemon mixture, until fully incorporated. Fold in the remaining egg whites.

4.  Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins, filling them until just below the top.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the soufflé is puffed and the top is golden brown.  (For convenience, you can place the ramekins on a baking sheet). Once the tops are golden, remove from the oven, dust with confectioners’ sugar., and serve immediately!  Warm fresh figs make an excellent accompaniment!