If you can beat an egg you can make a souffle

McClatchy Newspapers

MONTEREY, Calif. — Ordering dessert at an elegant restaurant cements the belief that replication of such culinary skill is altogether impossible for the home cook.

The sheer spectacle of a puffed, steaming chocolate souffl smothered in tonka chocolate sauce, or a perfectly textured panna cotta with Tahitian vanilla and strawberries produces a round of “oohs” and “ahhs” as if the pastry chef had, by some mysterious act of alchemy, spun straw into gold.

According to Ressul Rassallat, chef de cuisine at renowned Club XIX at The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Calif., a certain illusion applies. Rassallat says all that’s required is a certain measure of confidence and proper technique. Wowing your family is really not as difficult as it seems, he says. And to prove it, Rassallat has divulged recipes for two signature desserts — a chocolate souffl and a panna cotta — that are found routinely on the Club XIX menu.

First, the souffl , one of the great culinary icons of all time. Reputedly temperamental, in truth, souffl s are the simplest and most humble of casseroles; if you can beat an egg white, you can make a souffl . Transforming runny egg whites into the fluffy edifice of a souffl is all about physics and chemistry; trapped air bubbles expand, making the mixture rise, while heat causes the protein to stiffen a bit.

Souffl s may be savory or sweet, hot or cold, and often are accompanied by a flavorful sauce. Rassallat’s dessert version features bittersweet chocolate, but from there he strays from traditional methods. In fact he’s re-invented this classic, which is free of egg yolks, flour (meaning no gluten) and cream — a blasphemous idea in some circles.

“Many diners say ‘I can’t have dessert, bring me a plate of berries,’” said Rassallat, an honors graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. “This is something everyone can have. You name me another dessert that doesn’t have cream or egg yolks.”

His ingredients are simple: chocolate, powdered sugar and egg whites. “It’s all about technique,” he said.

It’s also about setting aside fear. While most chefs refuse to overwork the egg whites for fear of air leaking out of the tiny protein pockets — resulting in a flat, unspectacular result — Rassallat uses a mixer, and then loads up a piping bag to quickly fill individual ramekins.

“Just don’t squeeze the bag [hard] ... gently,” he said.

Just 13 minutes in the oven, and the result is a chocolate souffl that is both delicate and rich in the same spoonful. Despite its heady warmth, this souffl is light enough to finish an extravagant meal.

Rassallat’s other “simple” dessert is panna cotta, an Italian favorite made by simmering a mixture of cream, milk and sugar, adding gelatin, and letting it cool until set. An Italian expression which literally means “cooked cream,” panna cotta is eaten all over Italy and is normally served with wild berries, caramel, chocolate sauce or fruit coulis.

The first challenge is finding gelatin leaves, which are more widely used in Europe or by professionals. It’s the same substance as granulated gelatin, just packaged and sold in a different form. Four leaves equal the amount of gelatin in the standard 1‚Ñ4-ounce packet. Leaf gelatin dissolves a little less readily than granulated gelatin, which is surely another reason it’s not as popular in our speed-obsessed society.

Beyond that minor twist, the rest of the recipe involves merely warming cream and milk with sugar and vanilla beans, adding liqueur and then softened gelatin. The mixture sets up and, when ready, should be “medium soft, not too firm like Jell-O,” Rassallat said. “It’s very delicate, though. Once you plate it, it cannot be transferred or touched.”

Rassallat’s last bit of advice? “Have fun,” he said. “Cooking should always be fun.”

CHEF RASSALLAT’S SIGNATURE CHOCOLATE SOUFFL

(Fills 15 ramekins)

1,200 grams fresh egg whites (about 38 eggs)

300 grams powdered sugar

500 grams extra bitter chocolate, 61 percent (such as Valrhona)

Brush souffl ramekins with soft butter and granulated sugar. Put fresh egg whites in microwave for 1 minute. Beat egg whites and powdered sugar in a mixer to make meringue. Add the melted chocolate (from a double boiler) to the meringue on first speed, and then put on third speed for 10 seconds. Gently scrape the sides of the bowl. Put mixture in piping bag and pipe into ramekins. Bake the souffl at 350 degrees for 13 minutes. To serve, dust each souffl with powdered sugar, drizzle with tonka chocolate sauce (see below) and add a dollop of chantilly creme (see below).

TONKA SAUCE

(Makes 4 cups)

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups white sugar

2 cups water

1 vanilla bean

2 cinnamon sticks

3 cardamom pods

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, split vanilla beans, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Add cocoa powder and bring back to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes before straining.

CHANTILLY CREME

(Makes 2 cups)

2 cups heavy cream

31‚Ñ2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 vanilla bean

Whisk together cream, sugar and vanilla bean (split lengthwise and scrape out contents, discarding pod) until soft peaks are formed.

VANILLA BEAN-SCENTED PANNA COTTA WITH ORGANIC STRAWBERRIES

(Serves 14)

12 gelatin leaves

10 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

6 vanilla beans

7 tablespoons Grand Mariner liqueur

Vegetable cooking spray

Place the gelatin in cold water to soften. Meanwhile, warm cream and milk with sugar and vanilla beans (split and scrape the vanilla into the milk mixture.) Bring milk mixture to a simmer, and then add liqueur. Let stand for 30 minutes, then add the strained and softened gelatin. Note: Be sure to squeeze out all of the additional moisture from the gelatin leaves. Stir until gelatin is completely melted. Drain the cream/gelatin mixture through a fine sieve. Divide the mixture into 14, 4-ounce aluminum molds that have been coated with cooking spray. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

To serve, dip each container, one at a time, in hot water for 3 seconds to loosen. Run a thin knife around the sides of each and place upside down on a plate. Lift gently. To garnish, mix a bit of sugar with organic strawberries (cut in half, or quartered if large) with a little splash of liqueur and let sit for 30 minutes. Place mixture around each panna cotta.

Note: This recipe can be cut in half exactly.