What is Souffle?

Soufflés are light and puffy cakes made with egg yolks, beaten egg whites and a
variety of other ingredients. Soufflés can be served as a savory main course or
sweetened to be a deliciousdessert.

The name soufflé comes from the French verb souffler, which means to blow up or
puff up. This accurately describes what happens when a soufflé is baked.

The two main parts of a soufflé are a custard base (a creamy sauce) and egg whites
that have been beaten to form ameringue. The custard base provides the flavor and
themeringue provides the rising effect that soufflés are famous for.

Egg whites, which are pure protein, are beaten to add air to them. The proteins in
the egg whites surround the air bubbles and develop into a frothy mixture that, when
baked, makes the soufflé rise. After it has been cooked, a soufflé will fall to its final
form within about 5-10 minutes after it leaves the oven.

Soufflé custard can be made with many different types of ingredients for a wide
variety of soufflé flavors. Common ingredients include cheese, chocolate, fruits,
berries and jam. To create sweet desserts, a good amount of sugar is also added.
Chefs around the world have used their imaginations to create hundreds of different
types of soufflés.

Soufflés are often served in the glazed, white, round porcelaincontainers they’re
cooked in. These containers — called ramekins — come in many different sizes.
Because soufflés are delicate creations, they’re usually served quickly upon coming
out of the oven.

What is Meringue?
A meringue is an airy mixture of stiffly beaten egg whites and caster sugar. Said to have been
invented by a Swiss chef, the meringue was a favorite of the famously sweet-toothed Marie
Antoinette, who introduced it to the French.

Some meringue, like that which is piped on top of a lemon meringue pie, is uncooked (or just
browned), while other meringues are baked in a slow oven, at which point they crisp and can be
eaten like cookies. Meringue can can be made plain or flavored with vanilla extract or ground
almonds or hazelnuts.