SOUFFLE PANCAKE

My eldest sister-in-law is a sweet lady, who dines out in nice restaurants for both work and social pleasures. She said I must try this dessert called souffle pancake in town. I like pancakes, and I have a recipe which I love (I cut out from newspaper a few years ago). Not heard of souffle pancake, let alone tasted any. But I do know that souffle means meringue being folded into batter, so I thought I could create my own. I imagined that it would be like eating a pancake-shaped cloud =) =)

I started to scout for a cooking pan that could be used over cook stove and in oven. As my oven was a counter-top oven, I did not think it could withstand the weight of a cast-iron skillet. It would also be a costly kitchen investment since a reasonable cast-iron pot or pan would cost a few hundred dollars. So it took me a while to hunt and I finally found one that BARELY sat in my oven, costing me just under S$30! I was quite happy!

Thank you, IKEA! I love you! Muacks!!

Pan sits just nicely in oven!

After deciding what I wanted to put into the pancake batter and topping, I rolled up my sleeves and gave a try. I made two versions. Version A had more flour, less egg, stronger butter aroma and crisp edge. Version B had more eggs, less flour, cloud-like texture and more challenging to transfer to plate. I thought as the pancake was supposed to be souffle, Version B should be closer to the requirement. 

Pictures posted here are pancakes from Version A because I had no time to take pictures when attempting Version B. However the steps are the same.

SOUFFLE PANCAKE (Little Mouse's own version)

Elements to prepare first:

Caramel Drizzle

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp milk powder

1/2 cup full cream milk

Pinch of salt

1. Over low heat, melt sugar and water. When it caramelizes (push as far as you can to have a deeper caramel but not burnt)  add milk powder and stir evenly. Slowly pour milk (be careful! Hot! Hot!) and stir at the same time. Add in salt. Turn of heat to cool. (If it gets too sticky, add more milk to dilute a little) 

I aim to obtain a slightly bittersweet caramel to balance the whole dessert.

Whipped Cream

200g cold thickened cream

2 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp liquor (or vanilla extract)

1. Using a blender, blend everything till cream stiffens. Chill in fridge.

a fool-proof way to get cream whipped everytime

Pancake
3 eggs, separated
95g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
15g melted butter
50g milk
1 tbsp liquor (or vanilla extract)
60g plain flour
30g melted butter, extra

Toppings (washed and pat dry)
Sliced strawberries
Blueberries

1. Using a hand whisk, whisk egg yolks till slightly thickened and cream sugar till light.

2. Add in salt, 15g melted butter, milk and liquor. Whisk well.

3. Add in flour and combine well.

4. In another clean and dry bowl, using an electric beater, beat egg whites till stiff.

5. Gently fold in meringue into batter in 2 batches. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
 

gently fold in meringue using hand whisk

after folding in of meringue

6. Prepare a 24cm pan. I would suggest to line the base with grease-proof paper for easier transfer later on. Pour the extra 30g melted butter onto pan over low-medium heat.

7. When pan is warm, pour batter into pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Do not stir or flip the pancake. As the batter slightly firms up, gently place sliced strawberries and blueberries on top.

8. In a preheated oven at 180C, switch oven mode to top grill. Place pan in middle rack and grill for about a few minutes. Watch closely as the batter might burn.

9. Once the batter turns slightly brown on the edge, switch oven mode to bake and turn the temperature to 160C. Bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until top is springy to touch and sides leave pan slightly.

Done!

10. Carefully transfer pancake to a serving plate. Top with more fruits, whipped cream and caramel drizzle.

11. Serve immediately.

Sorry for the bad picture, everyone could not wait and started digging in!

CHOCOLATE OREO CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON SOUFFLE

Souffle, souffle! It had been on my mind. Yet I did not want to eat on its own. I wanted to be creative. Looking at the remaining cream cheese in my fridge and fearing that it would turn moldy, I gotta do something to it too! 

Questions on my mind then developed:

Why not just combine them in one dessert? Would it work? What kind of texture was I looking for? Baked or non-baked cheesecake? Meringue or souffle on top? Sweet all the way? Use others' recipes or self concoction?

After a couple of days' wracking my brain, I decided that my cheesecake would be baked, the texture should resemble ice cream, and it would be chocolatey and filled with the all time favourite, OREO! Then I thought again and decided to make tangy souffle to balance the sweetness, but with a little twist to the way souffles were normally made. I would make as I go, by sight and taste, so that the dessert was my own recipe. Not very sure if this way would work out, but with a courageous spirit, just attempt it!

CHOCOLATE OREO CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON SOUFFLE (created by Little Mouse)

Ingredients
Base crust
15 oreo biscuits, finely crushed
3 tbsp melted butter

Cheesecake
100g melted good quality semi-sweet chocolate (double-boiled method)
230g softened cream cheese
60g fine sugar
2 yolks
100g sour cream
30g full cream milk
2 tsp cherry extract
1 tbsp cake flour
1 tbsp instant coffee powder dissolved in 30ml hot water
6 Oreo biscuits, coarsely crushed

Souffle
90ml full cream milk
18g cake flour
15g butter
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
2 egg whites
70g fine sugar
1.5 tsp lemon juice

Method
Prepare crust:
1. Crush Oreo biscuits in food processor till very fine. Melt butter over gentle heat.
2. Pour crumbs into prepared 6" spring-form pan (I used a cake ring instead). Stir in melted butter, spread evenly and press hard. 
3. Bake at 165C for 10 min. Set aside.

Prepare cheesecake:
1. Beat softened cream cheese with sugar till creamy and smooth.

2. Add in yolks and beat till just incorporated using low speed.
3. Add in sour cream, milk and liquor. Mix well.
4. Add in melted chocolate and coffee mixture. Mix well.
5. Sift in cake flour and fold very gently.
6. Stir in coarsely crushed Oreo pieces.
7. Pour onto baked crust and bake at 165C for 40min.

Prepare Souffle (do this when cheesecake is baked for about 25min)
1. Place milk, flour and butter in a pot. Over gentle heat, stir till mixture becomes smooth. Add in zest. Set aside to cool.

2. Using low speed, lightly beat egg whites till foamy. Add in lemon juice and while beating, add sugar tablespoon by tablespoon. Beat till stiff and glossy.

3. Take 1/3 beaten whites and add into milk batter. Fold gently to mix well. Then pour batter into remaining whites and fold gently to mix well.
4.By this time, the cheesecake should be ready. Remove from oven, immediately pour souffle on top of cheesecake. Level top, tap a few times and send into oven to bake at 210C for 10min.

It would be better if I had piped in the souffle instead of pouring, so that the souffle would rise evenly without air gaps.

Souffle would definitely deflate after a while, do not fret!

 Serve warm or chilled.

It works and it is delicious!! 1