Banana Soufflés

• Recipe by Eric Ripert

These simple, airy soufflés are the perfect marriage of Puerto Rican ingredients and French technique. In Puerto Rico, Ripert pulled a couple of bananas off a tree to make this dessert.

Ingredients

1. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
2. 5 tablespoons sugar
3. 2 firm, ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/4 cups)
4. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
5. 1 large egg yolk
6. 3 large egg whites
7. Salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Brush four 1-cup ramekins with melted butter. Add 2 tablespoons of the sugar to 1 of the ramekins and rotate it to coat with sugar. Tap the excess sugar into another ramekin and repeat until all the ramekins are coated with sugar. 
2. In a food processor, puree the bananas with the lime juice, egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until smooth. Scrape the banana mixture into a large bowl. 
3. In a medium stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and beat until firm and glossy. Using a rubber spatula, beat one-fourth of the beaten whites into the banana mixture, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Spoon the soufflé mixture into the prepared ramekins and tap them lightly on a countertop. Transfer the soufflés to a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and risen. Serve at once.