Honey souffles recipe

Ingredients

• ½ oz (15 g) butter
• 1 oz (25 g) caster sugar

• 4½ fl oz (125 ml) milk
• 1 small finely grated lemon zest
• 2 eggs
• 2 oz (50 g) honey
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 oz (25 g) caster sugar

• ½ oz (15 g) caster sugar

1. Rub the ½oz (15 g) butter around the insides of the soufflé moulds, then dust with the 25 g (1 oz) sugar. This will create a lovely light crust on the outside of the soufflés. Set aside until later.
2. Place the milk and the lemon zest in a saucepan on a low–medium heat and bring to the boil, then set aside.
3. Meanwhile, separate the eggs and place the whites in a mixing bowl and the yolks in another bowl. Into the yolks add the honey, cornflour and salt and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Pour the milk through a sieve and onto the egg yolk mixture, whisking as you pour and making sure it’s properly mixed. Pour back into the milk saucepan and place on a medium heat, whisking all the time. It will thicken as it heats up. Don’t stop whisking or you’ll get a lumpy custard. Once it’s thickened and smooth, take it off the heat and transfer into a bowl to cool a little until it’s tepid. This may take up to about 10 minutes. Stir it regularly to cool it faster. If there are any lumps, push the custard through a sieve.
4. When the custard has cooled, you can start whisking the egg whites. Whisk for a minute or two until they turn frothy, then add the caster sugar gradually, whisking all the time until they form stiff peaks. Take a quarter of the egg white mixture and, using a large metal spoon or a spatula, fold it into the custard. When it is thoroughly mixed in, tip the remaining egg white into the custard and fold in very gently, trying not to knock out any air.
5. Divide the mixture into the four prepared soufflé moulds, making sure you smooth over the tops with a spatula or palette knife. Run your thumb and index finger around the edges to ‘clean’ the sides. This helps the soufflé to rise evenly. Clean off any mixture that may have dripped onto the sides of the moulds.
6. The soufflés can now either be baked, stored for later in the fridge for up to 3 hours or stored in the freezer for up to 1 week (cover them with cling film once they’re frozen or place them in a plastic storage box).
7. To bake the soufflés, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and place a baking tray in the oven to preheat, too. If using frozen soufflés, remove them from the freezer 1 hour before baking.
8. Scatter the 15 g (½oz) of sugar over the top of the soufflés and bake for 10–15 minutes until they are golden brown on top and have risen 1–2 cm (½–¾in) above the tops of the moulds. The baking time will vary depending on the size of the soufflé moulds, but when you gently press the centre of a soufflé with your finger, it should have a very light spring.
9. Remove from the oven and place on plates. Dust the tops of the soufflés with icing sugar and carefully place a scoop of Milk ice cream on top. Serve immediately.