Grand Marnier Souffle #Recipe by @LibbyKlein

Libby Klein So I got the bright idea to make my husband a souffle for Valentine's Day. I'd never made a souffle before, and even though they are known for being finicky flatliners I gave it a go anyway. My photos of the finished souffle look like it was a great success - and it was - mostly. They deflated like that turkey from the Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation as soon as I pulled them from the oven. I suspect I should have baked them a little longer. But then maybe they were always going to deflate. I made a Grand Marnier creme anglaise to pour over the souffle upon serving which made me quickly get over the lack of puff. Let me know in the comments if you've ever tried a souffle and how it turned out - or - what have you tried to make that failed despite your best efforts.

Adapted from Food And Wine Magazine's All time 40 best recipes

Grand Marnier Soufflé by Jacques Pépin

Crème Pâtissière

2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk

Soufflé

3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Unsalted butter, softened, for greasing
Crème Pâtissière, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
Powdered sugar, for garnish

Directions

Make the crème pâtissière: I love this stuff.

Whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in a medium bowl until mixture is pale yellow and reaches the ribbon stage, meaning that when you lift the whisk, the mixture is aerated enough that it falls into the bowl in thick trails, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour; whisk until smooth.

Bring milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium, about 3 minutes. Gradually add milk to egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium, whisking constantly, about 3 minutes. Boil mixture, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Mixture can be chilled, covered, for up to 3 days.

Make the soufflé:

Preheat oven to 375°F with oven rack in lower third of oven. Stir together granulated sugar and flour in a small bowl; set aside. Cut a 24- x 12-inch piece of parchment paper; fold lengthwise 3 times (letter-style). Wrap paper around outside top of a 1-quart soufflé dish to form a collar extending 2 inches above rim; secure tightly with string. Rub inside of soufflé dish and parchment collar with butter. Dust with sugar mixture, shaking out excess. Chill dish at least 15 minutes.

Stir together crème pâtissière, Grand Marnier, and orange zest in a large bowl. Beat egg whites in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer on medium speed until glossy and stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Whisk about one-third of egg whites into crème pâtissière mixture until well incorporated. Gently fold in remaining egg whites until just incorporated. 

Pour mixture into prepared dish. Place dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until soufflé is puffed and golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately - and I do mean immediately!

Layla Virtue, a blue-haired, 30-something recovering alcoholic and former cop is trying to reinvent herself as a musician—between AA meetings, dodging eccentric neighbors at her trailer park, and reconnecting with her mysterious dad—in this ​unforgettable new mystery brimming with hilarity and heart.

Layla is taking her new life one day at a time from the Lake Pinecrest Trailer Park she now calls home. Being alone is how she likes it. Simple. Uncomplicated. Though try telling that to the group of local ladies who are in relentless pursuit of Layla as their new BFF, determined to make her join them for coffee and donuts.

After her first career ended in a literal explosion, Layla’s trying to eke out a living as a rock musician. It’s not easy competing against garage bands who work for tacos and create their music on a computer, while all she has is an electric guitar and leather-ish pants. But Layla isn’t in a position to turn down any gig. Which is why she’s at an 8-year-old’s birthday party, watching as Chuckles the Clown takes a bow under the balloon animals. No one expects it will be his last . . .

Who would want to kill a clown—and why? Layla and her unshakable posse are suddenly embroiled in the seedy underbelly of the upper-class world of second wives and trust fund kids, determined to uncover what magnetic hold a pudgy, balding clown had over women who seem to have everything they could ever want. Then again, Layla knows full well that people are rarely quite what they seem—herself included . . .

Libby Klein grew up in Cape May, NJ where she attended high school in the '80s. Her 
classes revolved mostly around the Culinary sciences and Drama, with one brilliant semester in Poly-Sci that may have been an accident. She loves to drink coffee, bake gluten-free goodies, collect fluffy cats, and translate sarcasm for people who are too serious. She writes from her Northern Virginia office where she serves a very naughty black smoke Persian named Sir Figaro Newton. You can keep up with her shenanigans by signing up for her Mischief and Mayhem Newsletter on her website. www.LibbyKleinBooks.com/Newsletter/

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