Demonstrate the effect of foaming in preparation of cold and hot souffles?

After undertaking this activity, you will be able to:

• learn how to prepare hot and cold souffle, and

• explain about the various factors affecting formation of hot and cold soufflés.

Principle

Souffles are egg white foams, which can be modified to prepare savory or sweet dishes. These preparations usually involve beating of egg whites till they foam to peak stage and then folding them into a flavoured base of other ingredients. If served hot, they are usually baked just before service so as to prevent the foam from collapsing on cooling. In such preparations the air entrapped in the mixture during foaming expands on heating to give volumes, which may be 2- 2 ½ times greater on cooking. This results in products having a light soft texture and mouthfeel. However, on keeping the product, its volume decreases due to some of the entrapped air bubbles escaping where the protein fibers are weak, having lost their elasticity. A well-made product shows only slight variations in the volume because of denatured surface proteins on foaming, provide enough elasticity to stabilize the product. When served cold they are refrigerated immediately after the mixture is ready so that the protein films formed around the air bubbles get set preventing their escape and maintaining the volume of the desert.

Equipments

Baking dish, soufflé dish, frying pan, weighing scale, measuring cups, spoons, spatula, beater refrigerator and oven.

Materials

Eggs, cream, lemon or orange, castor sugar, gelatin, water, essence, butter paper.

Procedure

Now carry out the activity step-by-step as enumerated herewith. Start with the preparation of cold souffle.

A) Preparation of a cold souffle

i) Prepare a soufflé dish.

ii) Wash and dry a small lemon. Grate the rind, extract the juice and keep aside.

iii) Take one egg, separate the white from the yolk, putting the yolk in a bowl along with ¾ of lemon extract and 30 g of sugar.

iv) Place the bowl containing the mixture in a double boiler in which the water is simmering at 97ºC and beat or whisk until creamy.

v) Remove the bowl from the boiler and continue beating till the mixture is cool.

vi) Sprinkle 5 g gelatin in 30 ml water and keep aside for few minutes to swell.

Then stir to dissolve.

vii) Add the gelatin to the egg yolk mixture gradually and mix well. Place in the refrigerator to set.

viii) Whip 80 g cream, and beat egg whites till peak stage.

ix) Fold in whipped cream and the stiff egg white into slightly set yolk mixture.

x) Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish and leave in the refrigerator till set. Gently remove the paper from the dish before serving.