photo courtesy Washal’s blog (no photo from Craig and Pierre)
Follow your nose from a photo? This morning I caught a glimpse of this photo and everything else went sailing from my mind. Such is the power of such an evocative shot. Wouldn’t you eat this for breakfast?
In keeping with the season, my nostalgic journeying wouldn’t be complete without harkening back to two of my favorite New York Times food people – Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey. You remember them, right?
Back when I was working in the corporate world, I diligently collected a ton of their recipes in cut out paper form (yes) and saved them in some notebooks. (That, in and of itself, makes me a huge dinosaur.) Now and then, I get those notebooks out and flip through and reminisce about the good old days when I was a fledgling corporate do-bee of sorts and my own kiddos were but some ethereal future possibilities floating up in the clouds. Nowadays, those kiddos are pursuing new dreams of their own. How time flies!
Here’s a perfect recipe for this time of year, and the process of harkening – as in Hark the Herald Angels Sing. A lot of people tend to be frightened of making souffles. It’s really not hard at all. If you can make a flourless chocolate cake, you can make a souffle. This one is easy and rings of the season – White Chocolate and Chestnut with a hint of Cognac…….. Read carefully Craig and Pierre’s instructions about the beating steps – they give you the clues to success.
I couldn’t find a picture of their actual souffle – I will have to go through my books….. Meanwhile, I am imagining that mine will look something akin to the one shown above. If you’re a color-craver like me, you can play with this presentation by adding a few pomegranate seeds on the side of the plate or possibly make a coulis. Maybe just a sprig of mint or a perfect sage leaf. Even a sprig of Juniper would look pretty. A few curls of white chocolate can replace the whipped cream. Play around, have fun!
CRAIG CLAIBORNE AND PIERRE FRANEY’S WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CHESTNUT SOUFFLE – recipe slightly adapted from New York Times
8 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp, plus butter for greasing the souffle dishes
2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus sugar for dusting the souffle dishes
6 0z (real) white chocolate, preferably imported, broken into small pieces (don’t use Nestle chips)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
8 extra-large eggs at room temp, separated
1 tbsp Cognac
7 ox unsweetened chestnut puree, available in cans
8 tsp confectioners’ sugar
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Butter eight individual souffle dishes, each with a 1 1/2 cup capacity. Sprinkle each with a little granulated sugar and shake out the excess.
3. Put the chocolate pieces into a mixing bowl. Select a saucepan in which this bowl will fit neatly. Put an inch or so of water in the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place the mixing bowl over, but not in, the water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and has no lumps.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue stirring until the chocolate is cooled almost to room temp.
5. Put the eight tbsp butter and the brown sugar in the the bowl of an electric mixer. Start beating the butter mixture while adding the yolks one at a time. Add the cognac and chestnut puree and beat until smooth.
6. Scrape the chocolate into the butter mixture and mix only until blended. If this is overeaten, the mixture will become warm and separate.
7. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with 1/3 cup of granulated sugar until they are shiny and hold soft peaks. Add about 1/4 cup of the beaten whites to the chocolate mixture.
8. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the remaining beaten whites and fold gently. Pour an equal portion of the mixture into each of the prepared souffle dishes.
9.Arrange the souffle dishes on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake or 20 minutes or until the shuffles are puffed and browned. Sift one tsp of confectioners’ sugar over each souffle and serve with a piped swirl of whipped cream with a whisper of cognac.
Cognac-Scented Whipped Cream –
one cup heavy cream
1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1 “whisper” (about a tsp) cognac
Beat the cream together with the confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form. Add the cognac and beat until combined and stable – do not over beat. Place in a piping bag with a star tip or just place a dollop on top of your souffles.
Enjoy!
Here are two other recipe options – hope you will give one of them a try:
https://wagshalsblog.com/2012/12/18/chestnut-souffle/
and, from fleur and sel:
https://fleurdeselsf.com/2014/01/22/chestnut-souffles-with-chestnut-ice-cream/