Want a soufflé that will never, ever fall? Make a frozen soufflé! The base for this light and airy wonder is a curd made from pomegranate juice. It’s delicious and very flavorful, but it doesn’t have a bright red color, so if you that’s what you want, add a drop or two of red food coloring—or just dress it up with plenty of pomegranate arils (seeds). FROZEN POMEGRANATE SOUFFLÉS is excerpted from THE FEARLESS BAKER © 2017 by Erin Jeanne McDowell. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Slideshow: More Soufflé Recipes
How to Make It
Place six 6-ounce ramekins on a baking sheet. Cut six strips of parchment or wax paper long enough to wrap around the ramekins and wide enough to extend 2 inches above the rims. Wrap a strip of paper tightly around each ramekin and secure with tape.
In a medium saucepan, combine 198 g/1 cup of the granulated sugar, the pomegranate juice, egg yolks, and salt and heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves. Turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula (be sure to get into the corners of the pan), until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spatula, 10 to 12 minutes.
Strain the curd into a shallow dish and cover it with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), whip the cream and vanilla to medium peaks. Transfer to another bowl and refrigerate.
Wash and dry the bowl and whisk (or beaters). Whip the egg whites on medium speed until slightly foamy, 1 to 2 minutes, then raise the speed to medium-high and whip to soft peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining 99 g/ 1/2 cup granulated sugar and continue whipping until the meringue reaches medium peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Transfer the chilled curd to a large bowl. Gently fold in one quarter of the whipped cream, mixing well, to lighten the curd. Add the remaining cream in 2 or 3 additions, folding gently just until combined. Fold in one quarter of the meringue until thoroughly incorporated. Then add the remaining meringue in 2 or 3 additions, folding more gently.
Ladle or scoop the soufflé mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling each one all the way to the top of the parchment paper. Use a small offset spatula to gently level the surface if you want a smooth top.
Freeze the soufflés for at least 4 hours.
To serve, peel away the parchment paper. Garnish each soufflé with 1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds and sift some powdered sugar over the surface.
