Soufflé Rothschild

Ingredients

• For the crème pâtissière base
• 500 ml whole milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 120 g caster sugar
• 50 g plain flour
• 60 ml Danziger Goldwasser, spiced gold-flake liqueur
• For the crystallised fruits
• 80 g crystallised fruits, whole or diced
• 30 ml Danziger Goldwasser, for macerating the fruits
• For the Italian meringue
• 6 egg whites, at room temperature
• 120 g caster sugar
• For the dish
• 20 g unsalted butter, softened, for the soufflé dish
• 20 g caster sugar, for lining the buttered dish

Method

1. 1
   Macerate the crystallised fruits in 30 ml of Danziger Goldwasser. Set aside while the base is prepared. The fruits are ready when they have absorbed the liqueur and carry a pronounced anise-spice fragrance.
2. 2
   Prepare the crème pâtissière following Entry 24. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale, sift in the flour, and combine. Bring the milk to the boil, pour onto the yolk mixture, return to the pan, and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens and the raw flour taste is gone. Remove from the heat and stir in 60 ml of Danziger Goldwasser. The finished base is thick, glossy, and falls from the spoon in a heavy ribbon.
3. 3
   Butter a 1-litre soufflé dish with softened butter, coat evenly with caster sugar, and tip out the excess. The interior surface must show an unbroken, even film of butter and sugar with no bare patches visible.
4. 4
   Heat the oven to 190 °C. Prepare an Italian meringue: dissolve the sugar in the minimum of water and cook to the soft-ball stage; pour the hot syrup in a thin stream onto the egg whites already beaten to firm peaks, whisking continuously until the meringue is stiff, glossy, and holds a sharp peak without weeping.
5. 5
   This is where the dish lives or dies. Fold the macerated crystallised fruits, along with any residual macerating liqueur, into the warm crème pâtissière base, then fold in the Italian meringue in two additions. Work with a large spatula: the first addition lightens the base; the second is folded with the minimum of strokes until no white streaks remain. Over-working destroys the meringue's structure and the soufflé will not rise; under-mixing leaves streaks that bake unevenly. The finished batter falls in a slow, voluminous mass.
6. 6
   Pour the batter into the prepared dish to 2 cm below the rim. Smooth the surface level with a palette knife. Run a clean thumb around the inner edge of the rim to form a shallow channel, which encourages an even, straight rise. Place immediately in the preheated oven.
7. 7
   Bake at 190 °C following the timing of Entry 19. The soufflé is done when it has risen well above the rim, the crown is golden-brown, the dish wobbles only slightly at the centre when moved — not sloshing — and a faint caramel-fruit fragrance is clearly present. Serve without delay.