Over January, at On the Ridge, in Queensland, I enjoy working and planning menus for the year’s classes. I love to cook a variety of dishes, playing around with ingredients, just for fun. Soufflés are not new on the menu at Cooking on the Bay; there is usually a goat’s cheese soufflé in our French class. Now, dessert soufflés will feature as well.
Desert soufflés are a good option for those gluten and flour-free people, as many are made without flour. For a recent lunch party with my lovely French, ‘Ridge’ neighbours, Daniel and Yvonne, I made a flourless chocolate soufflé. That set off a soufflé fest!
Yvonne and Daniel’s large mango tree was dripping in mangoes, so it had to be mango soufflés. The mango season here has been sensational this year and we are always looking for ways to use them.
Daniel is a whizz in the kitchen and enjoys cooking, so it was not surprising that his very first attempt was perfect; he made a sensational mango soufflé! The only change we made was to reduce the quantity of sugar; as the mangoes were so sweet and flavoursome, hardly any sugar was necessary!
Soufflés are a quick desert and once the technique is mastered, an easy one also. Best of all it attracts maximum attention and applause! Soufflés can be made with a variety of flavours, including Grand Marnier, chocolate, passionfruit, lemon, pear, apple, and mango!
So join a French Odyssey cooking class this year, and you too will learn the secrets of the soufflé!
