Apricot Soufflés with Vanilla Rum Creme Anglaise

Souffles have a reputation of being risky and difficult and needing a lot of last minute attention.  Hah!  I prepare mine in advance and freeze them, so all that’s left to do when you want to serve them is transfer the souffles from freezer to hot oven.  That’s it.  Maybe when they are cooked dust the tops with icing sugar and wait for the oohs and aahs from your guests as you put them on the table – though it may be I just had nice guests when I served mine!  You can make the vanilla rum creme anglaise up to 2 days in advance if you want to get ahead so there is absolutely no stress on the day at all.

This soufflé has a real flavour punch but is incredibly light to eat.  The apricots, being soft dried, really pack a flavour punch.  They zing in your mouth and if, as suggested here, you part the soufflé and pour in some cold, creamy rum scented custard you get a wonderful mix of hot and cold, sharp and sweet as well as fluffy and smooth.  It’s definitely one of my favourite puddings of all time.

All I ask you to do, is to trust me and give this recipe a go.  You won’t be sorry and the look on your guests faces will make you really pleased you did.

Ingredients (serves 6-8 depending on size of ramekin)

  • 350g soft dried apricots
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 300ml water
  • 1tbsp dark rum
  • 1tbsp lemon juice
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 large egg whites
  • pinch salt
  • 1/4tsp cream of tartar
  • 50g caster sugar

Extras butter and caster sugar to line ramekins

For the creme anglaise

  • 250ml double cream
  • 250ml whole milk
  • vanilla pod, split
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 3tbsp dark rum

 

Method

For the vanilla rum creme anglaise

  1. Heat the cream and milk  with the split vanilla pod till simmering
  2. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until well combined
  3. Pur milk/cream onto eggs whisking all the time, until well mixed
  4. Return mix to the saucepan and heat, stirring all the time, until custard thickens.  Do not allow to boil or mixture will split
  5. Remove from heat, and still stirring put in rum to taste.  You want a pronounced but not overpowering flavour of the rum
  6. Strain custard through sieve into jug. Put clingfilm directly onto top of custard to stop skin forming and chill for at least two hours before serving

For the souffles

  1. Put apricots, water and sugar in small saucepan and simmer, covered for 20 mins till apricots are soft  Add rum, lemon juice and vanilla extract and blitz until smooth
  2. Leave to cool to room temperature   Meanwhile butter and sugar the inside of the  ramekins
  3. Heat oven to 175c
  4. Whisk egg whites with salt until soft peak stage.  Add cream of tartar and caster sugar and continue whisking until whites are stiff
  5. Beat in about a third of whipped egg whites into blended apricots to slacken the mixture
  6. Gently fold in remainder of egg whites
  7. Divide mix between ramekins and run thumb round edge of mixture to allow for even rise as this stops mix sticking to sides (see first photo above ingredients)
  8. Freeze at this stage or place souffles on baking sheet in oven
  9. Cook for 15 mins or, if frozen 18 mins, until souffles are well risen and serve immediately, dusting tops with icing sugar if liked, with the cold creme anglaise

To Serve:

Let your guests pull the soufflé apart in the middle with their spoons and forks and pour the creme anglaise into the resulting hole

3 Comments

  1. This is brilliant Rosie!! I am one of those people who thought souffles were too tricky to make!! I love the idea of being about to freeze them and then pull them out 18 minutes before you want to serve them and pop them into the oven! Pinning this recipe for a dinner with friends ahead… thanks thanks! How is your Christmas coming along?? I’m imagining you are the cook for the family dinner together. What would your be cooking up?? Or are you traveling for Christmas?? We just arrived in San Francisco for 3 days of early Christmas with some of our kids here. And then we’ll head home with most of them for our big family Christmas. It’s busy, but I think will be a sweet time. Merry Christmas Blog-friend– I hope it’s the best!!

    • Lickthespoon says:

      We are spending it at home with some lovely friends and yes I will be cooking. I want to be near my dad who is in a Care home 40 mins away with vascular dementia. I will visit him I’m The morning there as he is no longer able to leave the home without getting distressed bless him. Honestly he doesn’t really know who I am or whether I’ve visited but that’s not the point is it? So pleased you are with family again. It all sounds wonderful and you are right – being with those you love is very sweet indeed, Merry Christmas to you too my friend. Very many thanks for keeping in touch – your replies and comments always make me smile

      • HI Rosie– Sounds like a full Christmas for you. And I’m wondering what you’ll be fixing for Christmas dinner. I’m sorry about your father– and thankful he has you to see him through. It must be hard to have him near yet so distant in this mind. Larry’s mother has dementia, but is still at home with his father. It’s a whole new sort of relationship. — So I’m hoping your Christmas is blessed with sweet times around your table and good conversations. I promise to email soon– With our kids (our son & family of 5) evacuated to our house and traveling up to San Francisco this week to be with family it’s been pretty crazy with us!). Christmas hugs Rosie!!

Leave a Reply