It baked. It rose. It fell. Pretty much sums up this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe (Muenster Cheese Soufflés, p 152).
I’m not so good at making soufflés. Well actually I am not so good at getting the photo of a soufflé. I’ve never managed to get a photo of one still risen – not for these Dorie Greenspan classic cheese soufflés nor these “Twice Baked” goat cheese soufflés for the Daring Cooks. But the “twice baked” ones taught me that even a fallen soufflé can taste great.
So even though they started to fall before my eyes 2 seconds after I opened the oven door and by the time the reached the table a couple of feet away, they looked like this:
they still tasted great. Even the next day, reheated on a bed of arugula lightly dressed with vinaigrette. Not quite the dramatic beauty one expects with a soufflé but I guess you have to be there. At the very moment they are ready to eat!
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Seeing your deflated yet beautiful soufflé before sunrise makes me wonder if I can squeeze that in before going to work. I’m loving the browned, crusty top.
I am glad you did make these for your breakfast!
Yep, that’s why I took my first picture while it was still in the oven. I wanted proof that they had risen! Then I had my camera ready and if I had kept all the shots, I could have probably posted a time lapse series of them falling. In fact, that’s not a bad idea for next time. By the time I had gotten them plated (1 minute after they were out? maybe 2?) they had fallen. But I think that’s what souffles do and so long as they taste good, I’m happy. You just need to learn my trick about low expectations:-)
I wished I would have taken a pic when they were in the oven too!
I made every one get in the kitchen when I was about to take mine out of the oven 🙂
Your souffle looks wonderful and I bet it tasted even better!
Haha! Cooking theatre!
Yeah, I made a MAD dash to my sunroom where I had the whole scene ready to go….I’m sure I lost some of the poof, too. But these were marvelous hot, cold, puffed and fallen 🙂
Gosh I didn’t make it 2 metres, let alone into another room!
I do belive you that that was DELISH! Don’t think any picture can replace our hearts’ delight and memories when the souffles first leave the oven!
Definitely a challenge, but delicious all the same. We loved this recipe and I am going to search for some French muenster and try it again.
You know, it looks fine to me – I think we’re our own worst critics!
Enjoy your weekend!
I think they look beautiful! That’s what souffles do…they deflate! Mine rose beautifully and then…poof! But they were utterly delicious!
Still looks beautiful. I heard that if you put a little cream of tartar in a souffle it will keep it’s poof longer?
Your souffle looks great!
AS long as they tasted good. Mine rose, and fell. But were tasty.
At least it rose first! you got that lovely craggly look that I always think is so elegant.
I do like the “craggy look” 🙂
Your souffle looks delicious, and it did rise – that’s the main thing.
I think it looks great. Also, what’s a little soufflé trouble to someone who can make perfect macarons? These sound delicious.
Someone just told me of your blog and also “Cooking With Mr. C.” on Facebook. (also a blog) I just “Liked” his Facebook page and came to your blog. It’s wonderful. I love when people share blogs with each other. Denise
I still think it looks beautiful – and since it’s going to fall anyway when you cut into it…? I was actually happy that the leftovers were pretty tasty the next day too. Yummy!
These do deflate fast. Yours looked wonderfully browned. I was glad they were good leftover too.
LOL- the more posts I read, the more I wonder about how much my souffles actually rose ?? I guess I will simply need to make them again – soon – and test the height ……before I smear them all over that toast again. Oh my that was just so so good, even if a bit unconventional. And I think I am now a convert to “team smelly cheese”. Yay, another food to desire……
I’ve never heard of soufflé being “smeared over toast” 😉
Still a gorgeous color — I can almost taste it. 🙂
Your souffle is beautiful – even fallen. I really enjoyed the re-heated leftovers too.
Thankfully they taste just as good re-heated 🙂
I almost bit my computer monitor!