In baking souffles, I find that they start deflating from the moment I remove them from the oven. One chef suggested adding xanthan gum which is hard to find and quite expensive. Do you think arrowroot might work, or can you suggest another alternative to stabilize them?. Many thanks.
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3Please note that it is normal for souffles to start deflating immediately upon being removed from the oven, but they should not go completely deflated. This is part of the reason they should be served immediately upon being finished.– SAJ14SAJCommented Feb 1, 2013 at 17:05
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I found xanthan gum in the health food isle of my local super market. About AUD$3 for 100gr which is not too expensive since you don't typically need too much of it at a time.– MegasaurCommented Feb 5, 2013 at 8:59
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Possible duplicate of: What kind of stabilizers can I use when making souffles, Japanese cheesecake or egg beaten products?– hippietrailCommented Apr 7, 2013 at 6:20
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3 Answers
Try a small amount of cream of tartar instead of xanthan gum. Cheaper, more readily available, and the acid stabilizes the protein matrix.
Also, some tips from Better Homes and Gardens: use a collar, beat your egg whites to a stiff peak but remember to GENTLY fold them in, and don't open the oven door for at least 20-25 minutes to prevent cold air from collapsing the rising souffle.
And yes, even properly cooked souffles do deflate somewhat. Serve immediately and be gentle when removing from the hot oven - no banging the pan down onto the table.
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Welcome to the site, and thanks for the answer! I've edited it to make it more clear what the link is pointing at.– Cascabel ♦Commented Mar 6, 2013 at 22:20
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What is a "collar"? I only know the term from the field of clothing and Googling it combined with "cooking" or "kitchen" doesn't turn up anything ... Commented Apr 7, 2013 at 6:23
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1@hippietrail giverslog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/souffle-collar.jpg– Jolenealaska ♦Commented Dec 27, 2015 at 2:03
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This reminds me of someones's short story - murder mystery with a twist ( forget the rest, and the author) where the finale was that a protagonist entered the kitchen with a revolver and shot - the floor - just as the souffles were done. So the souffles were murdered, which in the context of the story was adequate revenge for the person who murdered them, rather than murdering the cook.– EcnerwalCommented Aug 14, 2016 at 16:52
Its normal for a souffle to deflate after leaving the oven. In the past with chocolate souffle i have had success with whipping the egg whites to a stiff peaks then carfully folding the mixture together. Keep in mind that you have only a minute or so to get the souffle to the guest carefully with out banging it on the table. The longer you can keep your souffle hot and steaming, the longer it will stay risin.
I always use s "collar" when making a soufflé and what it is is a strip of grease proof paper that you wrap around your souffle dish about 2-3 inches taller than the top edge of the dish, tied with kitchen string. It will stop the souffle from spilling over the edge of the dish. Just remove it before serving.
