Is it possible to make souffles that rise without beating egg whites?
TLDR: Is it possible to make a souffle that doesn't have beaten egg-whites, but still rises? Leaveners don't seem to work.
Longer version:
I've never eaten "real" souffles (at a restaurant). I tried this recipe, which tastes great, but doesn't deal with beating egg-whites. This (beating the egg-whites into stiff peaks and folding) seems to be something of a fundamental or hallmark of souffles, which is credited to their rising.
The recipe's souffles don't rise much (not even out of the pan). I also tried a variation with baking powder, which had a negligible effect.
Is it possible to make a souffle that rises, without folding in beaten egg whites? Would baking soda work?
NB: these (from the recipe) are also not baked in a pan with water with them.
Best Answer
TL:DR answer - not really. The beaten egg whites are an integral component of the souffle, forming both the rising action of the mixture (by capturing air within the protein network of the eggs) and and the structure. The recipe you linked to is more of a cake than a souffle, even using the creaming method commonly seen in cake production.
While other ingredients can capture air as well (such as the gluten formation from flour in a cake or bread), they change the nature of this dish so much that it's no longer recognizable as a souffle.
Adding baking soda unfortunately won't help in this particular instance as the rise caused by this is due to the carbon dioxide gas released. The souffles have that part covered with the air bubbles released during baking - what they need is the structure to trap them in.
I hope that helped to clarify!
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Can you make a soufflé without egg whites?
TL:DR answer - not really. The beaten egg whites are an integral component of the souffle, forming both the rising action of the mixture (by capturing air within the protein network of the eggs) and and the structure.What makes a soufflé rise?
When the egg mixture is baked in a 350-degree oven, those air bubbles trapped in the egg whites expand, making the souffle rise. The heat also causes the protein to stiffen a bit, and along with the fat from the yolk, it forms a kind of scaffold that keeps the souffle from collapsing.Why did my soufflé not rise?
If the souffle didn't rise: Perhaps the base was too thick and thus too heavy for the whites to push up against. Another reason could be that the whites were overmixed with the base. Another cause is that the beaten whites, or the uncooked souffle, sat for too long before baking.How do you make a soufflé rise higher?
Some souffle dishes have a collar, and some people add one with tin foil in order to make the souffle rise higher. If your dish has a collar, fill it all the way to the top of the pan. If it doesn't have one, three quarters of the way will do. Those souffles that collapse when a pin drops are too dry.Beat egg white to a stiff peak using a fork in just 5 minutes |Beat egg without an electric beater
More answers regarding is it possible to make souffles that rise without beating egg whites?
Answer 2
Yes! I got this recipe from CBS Saturday Morning.
4 eggs 1 1/3 C heavy cream 1 1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
Mix all the ingredients in a blender over medium speed.
Pour into souffle baking dish (greased or not depending if the dish is non-stick).
Bake at 425 for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry.
Takes MUCH longer—at least 10 minutes and then we have to put it in the microwave sometimes. Top becomes really browned. Maybe use just 1 C of cream? (preferable) Or add another egg?
Answer 3
Yes, I don't see why this would not be possible. As someone pointed out above, the white does not serve as a leavener, but creates structure. Modernist cooking uses an array of ingredients that produce foams in a variety of ways. See here, for example: http://www.modernistcookingmadeeasy.com/info/modernist-techniques/more/culinary-foams-technique
Versawhip, for example, is a soy protein that has been treated with an enzyme. It can be added to a liquid and whipped into an egg white-type foam fairly easily. It can be used hot or cold. There are probably other options.
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