Sunlight Soufflé
Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café"
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes to bake
Yield: 15 minutes, plus 45 minutes to bake
Peaches and creamy cheese are delightful together in
this rich-tasting soufflé. If you don't have access to ripe,
fresh peaches, make this with the equivalent amount of drained
canned peaches (packed in water or juice); it will still be
absolutely delicious.- Separate the eggs well ahead of
time, placing the whites in a large bowl and the yolks in a smaller
one. Cover both bowls with plastic wrap, and let them come to room
temperature.
- Zest the lemons before juicing
them.
Nonstick spray
2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 medium-sized ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups ricotta or cottage cheese
6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 medium-sized ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish with nonstick spray.
- Place the ricotta in a large bowl and add the egg yolks, extracts, flour, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Whisk together until fluffy and smooth. (If using cottage cheese, do all of this in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, whipping the cottage cheese for a minute or so by itself first to smooth the curds.)
- Beat the egg whites until they form peaks that don't fall over when the whisk or beaters are lifted and just a little liquid is left in the bottom of the bowl.
- Fold the beaten whites into the cheese mixture until they are mostly incorporated. The mixture will not be uniform–there will be little puffs of "cloud" here and there--and that is fine. (It's best not to "overfold," as this will deflate the egg whites.) Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish.
- Toss together the peach slices and the lemon juice, then arrange the peaches in a design on top of the soufflé.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, or until the soufflé seems solid when you gently shake the dish. Bring to the table and serve immediately.