The Old Bath House Restaurant Basic Souffle

The Old Bath House, which closed in 2005, was a landmark romantic location in Monterey, California with great food, service and great wines. The Old Bath House  looked out over Lovers Point over the Monterey Bay. You order this dessert at the start of the meal and saved room in anticipation.

7 Ounces butter (14 Tablespoons or 1 stick plus 6 Tablespoons)

1 Cup flour

1 Cup milk

½ Teaspoon cream of tartar

¾ Cup cream

1 1/3 Cups sugar

12 Egg yolks

            12 Egg whites

 Photo by Bob Aronson

Butter and sugar a soufflé mold and pre-heat oven to 375 F.

Combine butter and flour in a sauce pan and heat on very low heat to make a roux¹. Over medium heat, add milk and cream, stir until thickened. Add sugar and allow to thicken again. Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks. Beat the egg whites with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar until stiff peaks form and are they are shiny. Mix a spoonful of the egg white into the batter to lighten it. Next, fold in the remaining egg whites in the batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

For a chocolate soufflé add 14 ounces melted chocolate and 1/3 cup of dark rum when the mixture is off the heat, before adding the egg yolks.

For strawberry soufflé, add ½ cup of strawberry puree and 1/3 cup of Johannes­burg Riesling when mixture is off heat, before adding the egg yolks.

Note:

      1.  roux is a mixture of flour and butter