Meyer Lemon Soufflé Food

MEYER LEMON SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Bring milk just to a simmer in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from heat.
• Beat together yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and pale, 3 to 6 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add cornstarch, mixing until incorporated. Add hot milk in a slow stream, mixing until smooth.
• Transfer custard to same saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. (Mixture will be thick.) Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl, then whisk in zest and juice. Cover surface with round of parchment or wax paper and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter souffl dish, then sprinkle with sugar, turning to coat all sides and knocking out excess.
• Beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl using cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and increase speed to high, then beat until egg whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Stir one fourth of whites into lemon custard to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Pour mixture into prepared soufflé dish, then wrap paper strip tightly around outside of soufflé dish, forming a collar that extends at least 4 inches above rim. Tape overlapping ends together.
• Bake soufflé until puffed and golden in spots, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove collar and serve soufflé mmediately.

MEYER LEMON SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Separate eggs, placing 5 yolks in a small bowl, and 4 whites in the bowl of an electric mixer; discard the fifth white, or reserve for another purpose. Whisk yolks just until blended, then set aside. Set whites aside at room temperature, or refrigerate if the souffle is to be served later in the day. Rinse lemons with warm water, and grate and reserve the zest.
• In a small, heavy saucepan, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sugar and the flour. Gradually stir in the milk, mixing until smooth. Place pan over medium heat, and stir constantly until mixture has boiled for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. While whisking vigorously, slowly add several tablespoons of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks. Add yolk mixture to saucepan over medium heat, and whisk just until the mixture is smooth and thick, and light yellow in color, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, and stir until it has melted. Stir in the reserved lemon zest, and set aside to cool. The mixture may be refrigerated at this point for up to 4 hours; bring to room temperature before baking.
• Half an hour before serving, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish and coat it with sugar. Place the bowl of egg whites over a bowl of hot water, and stir gently until they are barely warmed. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, and increase speed to medium-high. Gradually add remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar, whisking until whites are moderately stiff but not dry; they should have smooth soft peaks with very fine bubbles.
• Add about 1/4 cup of the beaten egg whites to the yolk mixture, to loosen and smooth the yolks. Gently fold the yolk mixture into the remaining egg whites, until barely mixed. Pour into the souffle dish, and smooth the top. With the tip of a table knife, draw a circle about an inch in from the side of the dish, and an inch deep into the souffle mixture. Squeeze 1 to 2 teaspoons of lemon juice from one lemon. Trail juice over top of souffle, and sprinkle juice lightly with sugar.
• Bake souffle until it has puffed and is golden brown on top, about 20 minutes. If souffle is browning too quickly, reduce heat to 375 degrees. Serve immediately.

MEYER LEMON CUSTARD CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups. Whisk 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, and pinch of salt in medium bowl to blend. Combine milk, egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl; whisk until blended. Add flour mixture to yolk mixture and whisk custard until blended. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar to whites and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into custard. Fold remaining whites into custard in 2 additions (custard will be slightly runny).
• Divide custard equally among prepared ramekins. Place ramekins in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake custard cakes until golden brown and set on top (custard cakes will be slightly soft in center), about 27 minutes. Chill custard cakes uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours, then cover and keep refrigerated. DO AHEAD: Custard cakes can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
• Using electric mixer, beat crème fraîche in medium bowl until softly whipped.
• Run small knife around each custard cake to loosen. Invert each cake onto plate. Place dollop of crème fraîche atop or alongside cakes and serve.
• Sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

LITTLE LEMON SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Trim tip end from a lemon so fruit sits level. Cut stem end one-third of the way down, making cut parallel with bottom; reserve top. Repeat with remaining lemons.
• Hold a lemon above a sieve set over a bowl, and scoop out the pulp. Squeeze the juice from the pulp, and reserve. Repeat with all lemons. Place shells on prepared baking sheet.
• Combine egg yolks, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup reserved lemon juice, and flour in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat mixture on medium speed until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until very thick, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat, and return to mixer. Beat on medium speed until cool, scraping down sides several times, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and set aside.
• Combine egg whites and remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar in clean mixer bowl. Place the bowl over the pan of simmering water, and stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Remove bowl from heat, and return to mixer; beat on low speed until frothy. Gradually increase speed until meringue is shiny and holds soft peaks, 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to overbeat.
• Whisk 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk mixture. Gently fold in the remaining meringue. Carefully fill the prepared lemon shells to just below the rims.
• Transfer baking sheet to oven, and bake until meringue is slightly golden and rises about 1 inch above the shell, about 14 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to serving plates. Garnish with the reserved lemon tops, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately.