Taillevent Pear Souffle Recipes

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine one and one-third cups of the sugar with three cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
• Peel, core and quarter the pears. Place them in the saucepan, adding a little more water if necessary, so they are just covered with the syrup. Simmer gently until the pears are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. Discard the syrup.
• Dice eight quarters of the pears. Puree the rest in a food processor. Return the puree to a saucepan and cook until it is reduced to about two cups.
• In a saucepan, dissolve two-thirds cup of the sugar in one-third cup water. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches the hard-crack stage, 300 degrees on a candy thermometer. This is just before the sugar turns to caramel.
• Immediately pour the hot sugar into the warm pear puree and stir. Add the eau de vie de poire.
• Butter eight one-cup souffle dishes and dust them with the remaining sugar. Divide the diced pears among them. The souffle can be prepared ahead up to this point.
• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
• Beat the egg whites until they hold firm peaks but are still creamy. Fold the pear puree and egg whites together and spoon the mixture into each of the prepared souffle dishes.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the souffles are puffed and nicely browned. Serve at once.

Steps:

• For the pear wafers: Heat oven to 250 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat. Wash pear and use a mandolin to slice into thin slices. Place sugar on a flat plate and dip both sides of pear slices into sugar to coat. Place slices on baking sheet. Place another silicone mat on top, sandwiching the pear slices. This will keep them from curling up in the oven. Bake about an hour until the slices have turned dry and crisp. Peel wafers off the silicone mats and transfer to a wire rack to cool and harden. For the pear souffles: Combine 1 1/3 cups of sugar with 3 cups water in a saucepan, and heat on stove until sugar dissolves. Remove from stove. Peel, core, and quarter the pears. Place in the saucepan with the sugar syrup, adding more water if necessary to cover the pears. Simmer gently over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until pears are tender. Drain the pears and discard the syrup. Dice 8 of the pear quarters and reserve. Puree the remaining pears in a food processor until smooth. Place puree in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until it has reduced to 2 cups. Remove from heat. Dissolve 2/3 cup of remaining sugar in 1/3 cup water in a clean saucepan and cook over medium high heat until the syrup turns golden caramel. Make sure the puree is still warm or it will set the caramel too fast. Pour the hot caramel into the puree and stir to combine. Add the eau-de-vie and stir to combine. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Grease (8)-8 ounce ramekins with the butter on bottom and sides. Dust with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Divide the diced pears among the ramekins. Whip egg whites in a stand mixer until they reach firm peaks. Fold egg whites into the pear puree. Divide the mixture among the ramekins. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the souffles are puffed and light brown. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and let stand until chocolate softens slightly, about 1 minute. Add bourbon and stir until chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth. DO AHEAD: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• For soufflés:
• Generously butter six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups, then coat with sugar, tilting ramekins to coat bottoms and sides evenly. Gently tap out any excess sugar. Place ramekins on rimmed baking sheet.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of pears and sauté until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and sauté until pears are caramelized and juices are thick, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Scrape pear mixture into bowl. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon butter, remaining pears, and 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Stir lemon juice into pears. Let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer pears to processor; add pear juices to chocolate sauce. Puree pears until smooth. Transfer pear puree (about 2 cups) to medium saucepan. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill puree.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk egg yolks into pear puree in saucepan to blend. Stir pear mixture constantly over medium-low heat until steam rises and mixture is hot (do not boil). Carefully transfer pear mixture to large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 5 tablespoons sugar to egg whites and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold 1/3 of egg whites into pear mixture to lighten. Gently fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Divide soufflé batter equally among prepared ramekins (ramekins will be full).
• Bake soufflés until puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.
• Rewarm chocolate sauce over low heat. Serve soufflés immediately with warm chocolate sauce alongside.