What makes a souffle rise?
A successful souffle is usually one that rises high above its own vessel. What active ingredients / parts of a souffle (regardless of the type of souffle) typically makes it lift or rise?
Best Answer
Short answer: Steam.
Long answer: Proteins in egg whites are almost uniquely suited to making foams of tiny bubbles, then stretching like a web of bungee cords as the water inside these bubbles turns to steam in the oven. Therefore, the critical element in making your souffle rise is the skill with which you whip the whites into a foam to the correct degree (just to stiff peaks, not over-whipped), followed by integrating (folding) that foam into the dense, flavor-filled base. There are a few tricks for augmenting the rise -- e.g., using a pinch of tartaric acid in the whites, using a copper bowl -- but if your technique is poor, these things won't make enough of a difference.
Alton Brown ("Good Eats" TV show) has an excellent program explaining the whole thing, including some basic chemistry, available free on YouTube: Part 1 Part 2
By the way, you said that a successful souffle must rise above the vessel. While rising high is a major goal, I would not limit success to that event. Last night, I made chocolate souffle that only crested the vessel a little ways (not the ideal "double the volume"), but each bite was still ethereal and decadent at the same time. Everyone's plate was clean. THAT, to me, is a successful souffle.
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Quick Answer about "What makes a souffle 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.How do you make a souffle 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.Why does a souffle not rise?
If the temperature is too low, the souffle won't rise properly. If the temperature is too high, the souffle will rise just like a popover with big air pockets inside. Ideally, bake the souffle in the lower third of the oven.What do egg yolks do in souffle?
As the egg yolks coagulate throughout the baking process, they achieve some structure and rigidity helping the souffl\xe9 hold onto its lofty height for a little longer before the inevitable deflation.The Science Behind Souffles - Kitchen Conundrums with Thomas Joseph
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