Dessert of the Gods (Recipe: Warm Banana Souffle for Two)

From this point forward, when you hear the word souffle, there shall be no grimacing or rolling of the eyes.

From this point forward, when you hear the word souffle, you will imagine an early-summer sky dotted with soft, puffy clouds—clouds shifting gently in the wind and warmed by the heat of the sun. No thoughts as to what shape they will become, no fear of falling, these clouds are merely happy to be.

When you imagine a souffle like this—malleable, hapless, whimsical—all fear and hesitation can be dispelled. When you imagine a souffle like this, you will readily gather your ingredients at hand. Delicate, fine and simplistic in their beauty, you will understand—a souffle is the dessert of gods.

If you’ve never made a souffle, yes: they will rise in the oven and fall shortly after being removed, but a well cooked souffle will fall gradually, gently and almost imperceptibly. If you’ve never made a souffle, impeccable timing is a must, as they are meant to be served immediately. And if you’ve never eaten a souffle, you have no idea the delicacy that awaits you.

Note – These souffles stayed puffed for about 5 minutes after being removed from the oven. They did fall to some degree while staging & photographing them. Expect your souffles, if making this recipe, to appear puffier when fresh from the oven.

The following recipe and instructions for Warm Banana Souffle are shockingly simple. To serve two, you will need:

• 2-3 ramekins (reserving the 3rd ramekin for overflow)
• non-stick cooking spray
• 1 large, ripe banana
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lime or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar (plus more for dusting)

You will also need:

• 2 bowls
• 1 fork
• an electric mixer

(Ingredients may be doubled or tripled in proper ratios if making Warm Banana Souffle for a crowd. Recipe adapted from The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Book of Desserts, 1991.)

If you feel a trial run is necessary before serving these souffles to guests, family or friends, that’s perfectly understandable and even suggested. Your comfort level in preparing this (or any dish) is of the utmost importance.

In a medium-sized bowl, mash 1 large, ripe banana with a fork. Add 1 & 1/2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lime (or lemon) juice and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Blend thoroughly and set aside.

In a chilled bowl, whip 2 chilled egg whites to a soft peak stage.

Gradually add 1 & 1/2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar to soft peaked egg whites. Continue whipping egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.

Working in thirds, gradually (and gently) fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into the mashed banana until combined.

Spoon souffle mixture into individual ramekins prepared with non-stick cooking spray; divide evenly. While some recipes suggest filling the ramekins just short of the top, I suggest filling the ramekins right to the top or going just slightly passed. Set filled ramekins on a cookie sheet (or jelly roll pan) and place in lower third of a preheated 450 degree F oven with upper rack removed. Turn on the oven’s interior light and keep a close eye on your souffles. Resist the temptation to open the door during baking (to do so would risk the souffles falling prematurely). Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes. Trust your instincts and judge doneness by rise and top browning evenly, in addition to baking time.

While a bit unethical, if you feel your souffles are browning too fast or beginning to burn, turn the heat down to 425 or even 400 degrees F. Crack the oven door ever-so-slightly if you must, but only during the final minutes of baking. Allowing a rush of cool air in before the souffles are properly set can contribute to premature falling. Only a few minutes of baking time determine a souffle being set to perfection, underdone or over baked.

When souffles are done, remove from oven and dust with confectioner’s sugar. Using a non-slip hot pad or thick, textured kitchen towel, remove ramekins to individual plates and serve immediately. Warm Banana Souffle is an absolute perfect ending to breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner. There is simply no wrong time to serve this luscious dessert.

Curious to see inside?

Ready to take a bite?

Gently cooked with a light, almost creamy center, a baked Warm Banana Souffle should be delicate, moist and airy.

Interested in learning more? I suggest this article, one of the best I’ve seen on honing your souffle making skills.

Enjoy!

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