Egg soufflé is a soufflé dish made entirely with eggs. Although generally sweet, egg soufflés can be savory as well. This is an easy-to-make dish and is often served during a brunch, especially in the US. Although eggs are an important and essential ingredient in all soufflés, egg soufflés contain more eggs than usual.
Ingredients and Preparation
Ingredients: Typical ingredients used in the preparation of egg soufflés include egg whites, egg yolks, sugar, salt, cream, oil, butter and cheese. The egg should preferably be fresh and the cheese most often used in preparation of the dish is Parmesan cheese. However, at times, other cheeses are added to give the soufflé a distinct and unique flavor. Spinach, cooked rice, soft meats, etc., are also popular additions that make the soufflé more flavorful and filling than usual.
Preparation Overview: An egg soufflé is categorized as an easy dish to make. The first and most important step in preparation is to beat the egg whites till they are foamy. It is essential to create a stable egg white to make a good soufflé. The egg yolks are beaten in next and then all the other ingredients are beaten together and added to the eggs mixture. The batter is poured into Ramekins (traditionally used molds) or any other preferred mold or baking dish. The soufflés are then baked till they are puffy and completely cooked. There should be no runny parts.
Variations
Popular variations of the traditional egg soufflé recipe include the European Egg Spinach Soufflé made with boiled and baked spinach as an important ingredient, the Egg and Panera Bread Soufflé made with bits of Panera and the Ham & Swiss Baked Egg Soufflé made with cooked ham and Swiss cheese.
A diet variation of the traditional soufflé is also quite popular. This is made with margarine, light cream, skimmed milk and low-fat cheese and these ingredients drastically cut down the fat and calorie contents of the soufflés. In addition, there is also a lactose intolerant-friendly version that completely eliminates the use of milk and milk products and replaces them with coconut milk and olive oil.
Serving Suggestions
Egg soufflé is a very versatile preparation and can be served as a dessert, an appetizer, a side dish or even a snack. When made with added sugar, the sweet soufflé is most often served as a dessert, sometimes with a dollop of fresh cream as topping. On the other hand, savory egg soufflés can be served as and when preferred. Shredded cheese is a popular garnish.
