Makes 2x size 2 ramekins
Ingredients
• 20g pastry cream (see below)
• 10g very dark caramel
• A dash of Armagnac
• 2 egg whites
Take 10g of caramel with a dash of Armagnac and add to the pastry cream and follow the recipe as before.
Stephen makes his own caramel with 100g of caster sugar, 25g of butter and the juice of half a lemon. Caramelise the sugar, stir in the butter and the lemon juice and then add to the pastry cream.
And you don’t have to use a ramekin as your soufflé dish. Use hollowed out fruits such as apples, lemons and oranges, and even crepes.
Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake at 190 degrees centigrade for eight minutes.
Soufflé Pastry Cream
Makes 12 in size 2 ramekins
Ingredients
• 500ml Milk, full fat
• 1 Vanilla pod,split lengthways,seeds scraped out
• 6 Egg yolks, medium
• 100g Caster sugar
• 25g Plain flour
• 25g Cornflour
• 1 tsp Caster sugar for dusting ramekins
Method
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over the base of a large, heavy bottomed saucepan (TOP TIP: this will melt and coat the bottom of the pan to help prevent the milk burning).
Bring the milk to the boil with the split vanilla pod and seeds. Infuse at just below simmering point for about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and remove the vanilla pod.
Cream together the egg yolks and sugar and then whisk in the flour and cornflour. Ensure all ingredients are mixed well to ensure a smooth texture.
Pour approximately one third of the hot milk onto the egg, sugar and flour mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour back into the remaining milk, return to the heat and bring up to 86 degrees centigrade for 30 seconds (small bubbles will begin to come through), whisking continuously. Do not boil.
To store transfer to a bowl or container, cover with cling film directly touch the surface (to prevent skin forming) and cool down on ice as soon as possible (this prevents the growth of harmful bacteria). Seal with cling film and refrigerate. This basic pastry cream mix will freeze for up to two months.
Line soufflé ramekins Make sure you use oven-proof dishes. Fancy ones could shatter in the heat of the oven. Take each dish and brush the inside completely with softened butter (not melted). Chill the dishes for five minutes then lightly coat with butter once again. Tip a little caster sugar into each dish; roll the dish around tilting as you go, so it is evenly lined with sugar.
