Sarina’s Miniature Hot Pepper Soufflés (recipe)
![Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles minipeppersouffles2-3350899](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/minipeppersouffles2-3350899.jpg)
I have always been intimidated by soufflés. No, that’s not quite true. I had never thought of a soufflé? as something that should intimidate me, until I saw the horrors that Lucy Liu’s character had with them in one of the Charlies’ Angels movies. Ever since then, I had been intimidated by soufflés. As one of my resolutions for 2007 was to overcome my fear of dishes that deal with whipping egg whites when I saw the Hay Hay it’s Donna Day challenge with Soufflé as its theme I knew I had to take it.
This was my first time making a soufflé of any kind. I had fully intended to find a recipe and follow it to the letter. And I did. Kinda. Sorta. Let’s say I had the best of intentions, but like Chennette I often find myself beginning with one recipe and then improvising so much that I end up with something completely different. 🙂
The results of this, my first attempt, were flat to say the least.
![Sad Souffles Make a Sad Gourmet :( Sad Souffles Make a Sad Gourmet :(](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/4.jpg)
:**(
I would have been more depressed if they hadn’t tasted so damn good though. I knew I was on to something!! 🙂 I IM’d my college friend Lynn of RedSheepCrafts and asked her to tell me where I had gone wrong. With a little virtual diagnosis I was armed with a series of ‘tactical’ changes for my second attempt 24 hours later.
![Miniature Hot Pepper Soufflés Miniature Hot Pepper Soufflés](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/minipeppersouffles3.jpg)
To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement 😀 I immediately IMd the pics to Lynn while rhapsodizing on the bite-sized creamy fluffiness that were these cocktail worthy concoctions. Next time I -may- add a tad more pepper but I think they are perfect as they are, and any further tweaking would just be me not knowing when to leave well enough alone 😆
Sarina’s Miniature Hot Pepper Soufflés
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INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus additional for buttering muffin cups
2 1/2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and finely chopped
6 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 egg whites
2 egg yolks
![Mise en Place Mise en Place](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/5.jpg)
METHOD:
1. Butter muffin cups.
2. Dust bottom of cups with flour mixture, knocking out excess.
3. Sprinkle bottom of cups with a little of the Parmesan
![](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/7.jpg)
4. Make about 9 cuffs with strips of aluminum foil (thoroughly greased and floured), place in muffin tin
![Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/1.jpg)
5. Combine finely minced onion and scotch bonnet pepper
5. Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat.
6. Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons flour and onion/pepper mixture
7. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
8. Whisk in milk (mixture will temporarily look curdled) and bring to a simmer, whisking, then cook, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes.
9. Transfer to a bowl and add cheese, salt, pepper, mustard, and egg yolks, stirring until mixture is well blended.
![](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/6.jpg)
10. Cool to room temperature,about 15 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, put oven rack in middle position and preheat to 400???F.
12. Beat egg whites in a small deep bowl with an eggbeater or a handheld electric mixer at high speed until it just barely holds stiff peaks.
![](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/8.jpg)
13. Stir one fourth of whites into souffl??? mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
14. Spoon into cuffs, filling about halfway.
![Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/2.jpg)
15. Bake soufflés until puffed and golden, 9 to 11 minutes.
![Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles Miniature Hot Pepper Souffles](http://www.trinigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/minisouffles/3.jpg)
16. Cool in pan on a rack just until warm.
17. Remove cuffs carefully. They should come off easily though. (Souffl???s will fall slightly as they cool.)
Makes 9 mini soufflés