Souffle

A light, airy mixture that usually begins with a thick egg yolk-based sauce or puree that is lightened by stiffly beaten egg whites. Souffles may be savory or sweet, hot or cold. common varieties include cheese, chocolate, and lemon. Souffles are typically baked in a souffle dish, which is round with straight sides to facilitate rising and range in size from 3 1/2 ounces to 2 quarts. A souffle is generally large and fluffy, and will "fall" after 20-30 minutes. So for best results, souffles should be eaten quickly. The word souffle is a French verb which means "to blow up" or puff up -- which is what happens to this combination of custard and egg whites. To achieve the best results, make sure the bowl and beaters are perfectly clean and the egg whites are at room temperature before beating. Souffles should also be baked on the lowest rack of the oven, not the middle rack.