Spring is quickly yielding to summer here. As we make the transition in Dallas, I try to relish all of the aspects of spring that bring me joy, such as the blossoming of the magnolia trees and the much more frequent yard visits from our local ducks. Because the seasons seem to merge rather quickly here, we also get the onset of fireflies at the same time. It’s an amazing period in the year.
Our treat today goes perfectly with the season and would make a lovely finish for a late spring / early summer dinner. The combination of these two fruits is sweet, tart, and fragrant. The lightness of this treat is punctuated with just a little bit of crunchy shell on the outside. It truly captures much of what is good about dessert.
savour… transitions
RASPBERRY MANGO SOUFFLE
Before you start:
The raspberry mango paste should end up at 150 ml. That is all you need for the recipe.
It is critical that you brush the butter in an upward stroke and dust with sugar. You are, in essence, creating a track for the souffle to travel.
Running your thumb around the ramekin ensures that none of the batter bakes/sticks to the side and prevents the souffle from rising evenly.
Your souffle will lose much of its height within a few minutes of cooling. Don’t be alarmed. That is to be expected.
The ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh red raspberries (about 6 oz)
- 1 cup fresh diced mango
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 oz water
- 160 ml egg white (about 5 large eggs)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 80 g confectioners’ sugar + some for dusting
- Butter and granulated sugar for prepping the ramekins
The method:
- Grease the ramekins with softened, but not melted butter. Apply butter in even upward strokes on the sides of the ramekins.
- Dust the inside of the ramekins with granulated sugar. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F or 180˚ C.
- In a small pot, place raspberries, mango, and water or medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes or until mango is softened.
- With the back of the spoon mash the mixture through a strainer to create a puree and remove the seeds.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and add the cornstarch. Cook over medium-low heat until it becomes much thicker… almost paste-like. You should be able to place a dollop of it on a plate and have it not run or change shape. When it is thick enough, set it aside to cool.
- In a clean metal bowl, place the egg whites and cream of tartar.
- Whisk on high until it reaches stiff peaks. Add confectioners’ sugar and whisk again. Test for sweetness. If ok, whisk again until glossy and very stiff but not dry.
- Fold a small amount of the egg whites into the puree to loosen it up a bit.
- Continue to gently fold in egg whites until you have added it all.
- Spoon the mixture into the ramekins. Tap the ramekins on a hard surface to remove spaces and air bubbles.
- Using an offset spatula scrape off the top of the ramekin to flatten it out.
- Using your thumb make a ring around the ramekin to remove any batter (see photo).
- Dust the top of the souffles with confectioners’ sugar.
- Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes for small ramekins. Larger baking dishes will require longer baking times.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
