Baked apricot soufflés with almond crème sauce

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 can (8.25-ounce) unpeeled apricot halves; drained
Sugar
3 tablespoons Butter or margarine
3 tablespoons All-purpose flour
¾ cup Half-and-half
½ cup Sugar; divided
4 larges Eggs; separated
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
Sifted powdered sugar
Almond crème sauce
½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
½ teaspoon Almond extract
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 cup Whipping cream
4 Egg yolks -Almond Crème Sauce---
½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
½ teaspoon Almond extract
½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 cup Whipping cream
4 Egg yolks

Directions

Coat bottom and sides of 6 (6-ounce) custard cups with cooking spray; sprinkle with sugar. Set aside. Process apricot halves in blender or food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides; set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour until smooth. Cook mixture, whisking constantly, 1 minute.

Add half-and-half and ¼ cup sugar, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat; set aside.

Beat egg yolks at medium speed with an electric mixer until thick and pale; fold in apricots. Gradually stir one-third of hot mixture into yolk mixture; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes; stir in vanilla. Cool 15 to 20 minutes.

Beat egg whites at high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Gradually fold into apricot mixture.

Spoon into prepared custard cups.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve immediately with Almond Crème Sauce. Makes 6 servings.

Almond Crème Sauce Serve any leftover sauce with fresh fruit, pound cake, or ice cream.

Combine first sugar, cornstarch, and the extracts in a heavy saucepan; gradually stir in whipping cream. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Gradually stir one-third of hot mixture into yolks; add to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.

Pour through a wire-mesh strainer into a small bowl, discarding any lumps.

Cover and store in refrigerator up to 3 days. Makes 1½ cups.

Notes: Cloud Craft Soufflés rely on stiffly beaten egg whites to create their magnificent proportions. Here are a few helpful tips for high and mighty soufflés.

Separate egg yolks from whites while eggs are cold.

To make your soufflé rise higher, let egg whites sit at room temperature 20 minutes before beating them.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Lift beaters up from bowl to see if peaks hold their shape.

Fold egg whites into the soufflé mixture by cutting down through the center of the mixtures, across the bottom, and up the sides of the bowl. Give the bowl a quarter turn, and repeat folding and turning until mixtures are blended.

Recipe by: Southern Living 1997 Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #1051 by Suzy Wert <SuzyWert@...> on Jan 25, 1998

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