Images and recipes from Neil Perry’s Good Cooking by Neil Perry (Murdoch Books) $49.99

Chilled lemon soufflés

Serves 6

“These are fun little mousses that are set above the rims of the ramekins  to resemble soufflés. The amount of gelatine makes them very delicate.  They could never stand up if turned out, and that’s what makes them  so delicious – the texture. Serve them with a dollop of whipped cream.”(p.224)

 

 

Ingredients

2 titanium-strength gelatine sheets

185 ml (6 fl oz/3/4 cup) lemon  juice, strained

4 large free-range eggs, separated

150 g (51/2 oz/2/3 cup) caster  (superfine) sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest,  plus extra to serve

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) thick (double) cream

icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting

 

Method

You will need six 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) glass dishes or ramekins. Cut six strips of baking paper about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wider than the height of the dishes and 2 cm (3/4 inch) longer than the circumference. Wrap a strip of baking paper around each dish to form a collar and secure with kitchen string.

 

Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water for 5 minutes to soften. Remove from the water and gently squeeze to remove the excess. Put the lemon juice and gelatine sheets in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until the gelatine has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

 

Put the egg yolks, sugar and lemon zest in a small heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and pale, then add the lemon and gelatine mixture and whisk well. Remove from the heat and sit the bowl in  a dish of iced water, stirring occasionally until cool.

 

Use an electric beater with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg whites in a small bowl at high speed until soft peaks form.

 

Gently fold a large spoonful of egg whites through the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined.

 

Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then fold it through the lemon mixture. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared dishes and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

 

When you are ready to serve, remove the string and paper from the soufflés.

Dust with icing sugar, sprinkle with lemon zest and serve.