Apple souffle is a popular baked cake that is light and puffy, with a soft, creamy texture. The souffle is made with apple as the main ingredient. The dish is mostly served as a dessert (last course of a meal) and it is popular in almost every corner of the world. The origin of the dish is often traced back to France where it has been baked and served since the ancient times.
Ingredients and Preparation
Ingredients: General ingredients used in the preparation of apple souffles include apples (preferably fresh, rinsed and cut into tiny bits or mashed), egg whites, egg yolks, milk, cream, butter, oil, some salt and sugar. Fruits that complement apples, like raspberry, strawberry, orange, are often added to the souffle to add to its taste. Other popular additions include cheese, chocolate, jam, jellies, candies, marmalade and marshmallows. The variety of apples used in preparation depends on personal preferences as well as the recipe being followed. These can be of a single type or a combination of 2 or more varieties of apples.
Preparation: Apple souffle is a fairly easy dish to make and baking is the preferred method of cooking. Ramekins are used traditionally for baking the souffles but other baking dishes or molds can also be used. The most important thing is to make the right batter to ensure that the souffle turns out to be good.
To make the souffle, the batter is prepared first by mixing together all the ingredients and beating them well. The batter is then poured into the mold(s) and baked till the souffles are puffy and risen and the tops are golden brown in color. The insides should be completely cooked and not runny, although a little gooey.
Variations
There are many regional as well as ingredients-based variations of the traditional apple souffle. Some exceptionally popular ones are the Apple Cinnamon Souffle, Apple-Raspberry Souffle, Apple Chocolate Souffle, Apple Strawberry Swiss Cheese Souffle, to name a few. The low-calorie, low-fat version of the souffle is made with margarine, sugar substitute, skimmed milk, low fat cream. Also, a lactose intolerant-friendly version of the souffle is quite popular and made without milk and milk products (coconut milk and olive oil are used instead).
Serving Suggestions
Apple souffles are usually served as a dessert. These can be served chilled, warm or at room temperature. The hot souffles are unmolded onto a serving platter and then served as preferred. Popular garnishes include shredded apple peel, tiny apple bits, powdered sugar, grated apple, whipped cream, etc. A dollop of vanilla ice cream makes a good accompaniment to apple souffle.