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1
Fix acetate collars around four ramekins, extending 3–4 cm above the rim. Secure without gaps; any breach will allow the mixture to leak and the risen illusion will be lost. Set the prepared ramekins on a flat tray that fits in the freezer.
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2
Make the pâte à bombe. Combine 100 g sugar and 40 ml water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat to 121°C, monitoring with a thermometer. Simultaneously whisk the egg yolks at high speed. Pour the hot syrup in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl — not onto the whisk — and continue beating until the mixture is pale, thick, and cooled to 20–25°C. The ribbon it drops back on itself should hold for three seconds before dissolving.
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3
Fold the chosen flavouring — fruit purée, praline paste, chocolate, or liqueur — into the finished pâte à bombe at this stage, before any further folding. The mixture should be uniform in colour and free of streaks.
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4
Make the Italian meringue. Cook 150 g sugar and 50 ml water to 118°C. Whisk the egg whites to soft peak, then pour in the syrup in a thin stream. Whisk at high speed until the meringue is glossy, holds a firm peak, and has cooled to 20–25°C. The bowl should feel barely warm to the palm.
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5
Whip the chilled cream to soft peak — the whisk leaves a lazy trail that barely holds its shape. Do not take the cream beyond this point; over-whipped cream will not fold smoothly and will produce a grainy texture in the finished soufflé.
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6
This is where the dish lives or dies. All three components must be at 20–25°C before folding begins. Cold cream folded into warm meringue causes the fat to solidify and the mixture to separate; warm pâte à bombe added to set cream deflates both. Fold the soft-peak cream into the flavoured pâte à bombe with a large spatula, using slow, wide arcs that cut to the bottom of the bowl. Then add the Italian meringue in two additions — the first loosens the base, the second is folded only until no white streaks remain. The finished mixture should be light, homogeneous, and hold a soft, billowing consistency.
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7
Pipe or spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling to the top of the collar. Smooth the surface level. Cover loosely without pressing on the surface. Freeze at –18°C or below for a minimum of 6 hours to ensure complete crystallization throughout.
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8
Transfer to the refrigerator or a –12 to –14°C environment for 10–15 minutes before service. Peel the collar away in one clean, continuous motion. The risen band should be smooth and vertical. Press toasted nut crumbs, grated chocolate, or a dusting of cocoa against or over the exposed surface. The soufflé is ready when a small spoon meets a creamy, mousselike resistance — not the hard push of an icy block.