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