Collapsing soufflé
A few months ago I attempted a soufflé and had mixed success (i.e. failure). I determined that I enjoyed both the taste and the presentation, but I just haven't gained the confidence to try again.
I noticed that my soufflé would puff up very nicely, but quickly collapse, losing its structural rigidity and demolishing its parabolic nature. Does anyone know any tips or tricks to re-puff a soufflé, or at least a way to keep it from falling in the first place?
Best Answer
A soufflé will always fall, but you can control how much. As a general rule, the faster and more dramatic the rise of the soufflé, the more catastrophic the fall. A lower oven temperature and stiffer mix will give a slower rise and a slower fall. You can also use a water bath to control the temperature of the soufflé as it cooks.
You can always re-puff a soufflé by re-heating it, but it will just fall again, and it will not rise as high each time it is re-heated.
Pictures about "Collapsing soufflé"
Quick Answer about "Collapsing soufflé"
Those souffles that collapse when a pin drops are too dry. Souffles become dry when they bake for too long. In order to make sure your souffle is cooked enough, but not too much, jiggle the dish just a bit a few minutes before it's supposed to be done baking.How do I keep my egg souffle from deflating?
Also, some tips from Better Homes and Gardens: use a collar, beat your egg whites to a stiff peak but remember to GENTLY fold them in, and don't open the oven door for at least 20-25 minutes to prevent cold air from collapsing the rising souffle. And yes, even properly cooked souffles do deflate somewhat.How do you stabilize a souffle?
Whip the whites until firm, but stop before they get too stiff, says Richard, or the souffle will be grainy. And quell your jitters with his 21st-century trick: Add xanthan gum to the whites. It acts as a stabilizer--resulting in the most dramatic souffle we've made in a while.What to put in a chocolate souffle so it will not collapse?
The trick is to know when to stop beating: Under-beaten whites will result in a souffl\xe9 that does not rise to its potential, while over-beaten whites result in a tough, cracked souffl\xe9.Aerial video shows close-up of Italian glacier collapse that killed at least 10
More answers regarding collapsing soufflé
Answer 2
They're kinda supposed to fall: egg protein just can't hold the shape independent of the hot air inside, so as it cools, it's going to fall. The only time one wouldn't fall is if you screwed it up and it never rose in the first place.
The best thing to do is pull it right out and serve it. Timing is everything.
Answer 3
I never made a souffle in my life before watching an old episode of Julia Child's. We had success with both plain and smoked salmon souffle. You might search for it online and try her easy techniques. It's very entertaining as well.
Answer 4
Try using cream of tartar to help stabilize the egg whites. As this article explains,
Add cream of tartar to the whites while beating; the acid stiffens and coagulates the egg-white protein, strengthening the walls of the bubbles. Sugar, used in sweet soufflés, also strengthens the bubbles.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.