Let me say this right away so that you don’t stop reading: Souffles are so easy to make! So easy. And this one in particular… nothing to it but to eat it straight out of the oven, warm with whipped cream melting all over it. You can do that.
I made this version with rhubarb but you can use almost any juicy fruit—local strawberries are finally happening! Soon there will be cherries, blueberries, peaches, plums… Play away.
This recipes uses four egg whites. Don’t toss the yolks! Just cover and refrigerate them and make old-fashioned vanilla pudding the next day. Serve the pudding with fresh fruit too. And more whipped cream! Ah, sweet summer fun.
Warm Fruit Souffle
Serves 6
soft butter
12 oz. chopped rhubarb (or other chopped fruit; add less sugar for sweeter fruit, to taste)
1 Tbsp. water
7 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 large egg whites
1 c. heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 6-cup souffle dish (or 10 4-oz. ramekins, 6 6-oz. ramekins, etc.)
In a large saucepan, heat rhubarb, water, 3 Tbsp. sugar, and cardamom over medium heat. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and simmer until rhubarb is soft, about 10 minutes. Add cornstarch and cook until very thick, 3-4 minutes. Cool a bit, then puree in a blender. Transfer puree to a medium bowl.
Beat egg whites to soft peaks. Add 3 Tbsp. of sugar and continue beating to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of egg whites into rhubarb puree to lighten it, then fold the puree mixture into the egg whites. Pour batter into prepared souffle dish and bake for 15-17 minutes, or until souffle is puffy and browned on top.
While souffle bakes, whip cream with remaining 1 Tbsp. of sugar to soft peaks. Serve souffle immediately out of the oven with whipped cream.