Today is National Chocolate Soufflé Day
February 28, 2018
The Bottom Line: February 28th is National Chocolate Soufflé Day!
The Full Story:
February 28th is National Chocolate Soufflé Day! The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler, which means “to blow up” or more loosely “puff up”, which describes a soufflé perfectly. Not familiar with the loveliness that is a soufflé? It’s a lightly baked cake made with egg yolks and the beaten eggs whites that are combined with various other ingredients. Soufflé can be found served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert. There are two basic components that make up every soufflé.
- A French crème patisserie base/flavored cream sauce or puree
- Egg whites beaten to a soft peak meringue
The flavor is provided by the base and the “lift” is provided by the beaten egg whites. A variety of cheeses, jams, fruits or chocolates can be baked into the base of the soufflé. And here’s where it gets really good. Once the goodness comes out of the oven it’s fairly common to to puncture the top and pour mouthwatering sauces onto it. Depending on the type of soufflé, it can be anything from chocolate or vanilla to cheese and herbs. Enjoy!