Frozen Strawberry Souffle

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The recipe for this light and airy creation comes from Wolfgang Puck, who learned how to make frozen souffles while working at Maxim's in Paris. This bears no resemblance to a baked souffle, and the recipe is easy enough that new cooks can successfully prepare the dish. The souffle is made with beaten egg whites and whipped cream. They are folded into a fruit base and frozen, without special equipment, to make a dessert that has a light, smooth consistency that is more like a frozen mousse than ice cream. We have very young children in our family, so, to avoid any chance of salmonella, we use pasteurized eggs in all dishes where eggs are not cooked. While they are beaten with a hot sugar syrup, in a process that is very similar to that used in making an Italian meringue, I don't think the eggs, as processed in this recipe, ever get hot enough to kill salmonella, should it be present. So, I've joined the "better safe than sorry" school of egg handling. I hope you will too. While the souffle is very easy to make and uses only five ingredients, it is an elegant and impressive dessert that is suitable for guests as well as family. This is a terrific recipe that also has instructions for making a lovely fruit syrup to spoon over the souffle. Any of the "cane" fruits can be used to make this dessert. It should be made the day before you need it , and the souffle should be transferred to the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to serve it. I know that those of you who try this won't be disappointed. Here's how it's made.

Frozen Strawberry Souffle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients:
1-1/2 quarts ripe strawberries, hulled + 4 strawberries for garnish
2 pasteurized egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
Optional: Grand Marnier or kirsch, for the sauce

Directions:
1) Set aside berries used for garnish. Place remainder of berries in bowl of a food processor. Process until pureed. Transfer to a storage bowl, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled.
2) When berries are chilled, place egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until they form soft peaks that droop when tested. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue beating until egg whites form stiff, shiny peaks. Set aside.
3) Place remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, and then continue cooking just until mixture starts to bubble and begins to thicken.
4) While continuing to beat egg whites, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating until whites have cooled.
5) Using a rubber spatula, gently fold 1-1/2 to 2 cups of the strawberry puree into egg whites; reserve rest of puree in refrigerator for a sauce. Then, fold whipped cream into egg white mixture until thoroughly incorporated. Taste mixture and, if necessary, sprinkle in a little more sugar to taste.
6) Pour mixture into a 5- or 6-cup souffle dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
7) Before serving, transfer frozen souffle to refrigerator to soften slightly. Meanwhile, pour remaining strawberry puree through a fine-meshed sieve into another bowl. Add a little sugar and a splash of Grand Marnier or kirsch to taste.
8) Scoop souffle into individual serving dishes. Spoon sauce around each serving and garnish with a whole berry. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cold Lime Souffle - One Perfect Bite
Frozen Lemon Souffle - The English Kitchen
Iced Lime Souffles with Poppyseeds - La Tartine Gourmande
Deep Frozen Orange Souffles - Whisk
Frozen Coffee Liqueur Souffle - Five Star Foodie Culinary Adventures
Frozen Anisette Souffle - Foodista
Souffle Glace aux Framboise - Cookie Madness