Ingredients
Yields: 4 servings- 2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons kirsch or Grand Marnier
- 6 eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon powdered sugar, for dusting
- fresh mint leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the strawberries, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, and 1 tablespoon of the kirsch. Cover the bowl and set aside at room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the remaining 5 tablespoons of sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon of kirsch, and the orange zest until thick and pale yellow. In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites just until they form peaks (but not stiff peaks, or they will not fold in properly). Gently fold half of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until incorporated, and then fold in the remaining egg whites.
Heat the butter in a 13-inch nonstick saute pan (or two 10-inch pans) over medium heat and quickly pour the egg mixture into the pan, spreading it out as you pour. The mixture around the edges of the pan will brown quickly, the bulk of the soufflé will puff up after 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and place in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. (Alternatively, cover with a lid for 3 to 4 minutes to set). Once the soufflé has begun to set, spoon half the strawberries in the center and return to low heat for another 1 or 2 minutes.
Taking the pan in one hand and a warm serving dish in the other, slide the soufflé out onto the dish, folding it over in half as you do so. Spoon the remaining strawberries around the soufflé, and dust with the powdered sugar. Divide the soufflé into 4 portions with a dessert spatula and place on warm serving plates. Garnish with the mint leaves and serve immediately.