Fruit Soufflé in a Croustade

Soufflé de Fruits en Croustade (fruit soufflé in a pastry case) teaches one discipline above all: control the water. The fruit must be tender, cool, and nearly dry before it meets the beaten whites. Warm or syrupy fruit collapses the rise and softens the pastry from below; properly reduced fruit gives the soufflé something solid to lift against.

The original recipe assumed a pastry station with Croûtes et Croustades (No. 2393) ready in a purpose-made shallow mould, stewed fruits waiting separately, and enough hands to build the soufflé while another cook watched the oven and warmed the rum. At home, an 8-inch straight-sided cake pan replaces the croustade mould, one saucepan handles the fruit and soufflé base in turn, and a hand mixer supplies the whisking arm. The drying box used for empty shells is brigade scaffolding and goes; the thin sugared paste, fruit layers, moderate oven, careful turn-out, and rum finish are the dish and must stay. One cook, one stove, one evening.

The moderate oven is deliberate. Fierce heat sets and darkens the sugared crust before the soufflé can complete its rise. Before you touch the eggs, cool the fruit completely and cook away every loose spoonful of juice; that is the step that matters most.