Apricot Souffle

Ingredients

• Dried Apricots (Khurmani) 250 g, soaked in water to cover, 4-5 hours OR
• Apricot puree 1 ½ cups
• Eggs, separated 3
• Sugar ½ cup
• Gelatin 1tbsp
• Water ½ cup
• Cream, chilled 1¼ cups (300 g)
• Brandy (optional) 1 tbsp (15 g)
• Chopped nuts to decorate
• A double boiler, or a smaller saucepan that fits into larger one containing water

Preparation

• Cook the apricots in the same water, till tender. When cool enough to handle, de-seed and puree in a blender. Measure up to 1 ½ cups, adding a little water if not 1 ½ cups.

• Separate the eggs. Put the yolks into the double boiler and the whites into a very clean, greaseless bowl. Do this one at a time, so that if the egg is bad or the yolk of one breaks, it does not spoil all the eggs. It is very important that the yellow does not go into the egg whites; otherwise the whites will not get beaten stiff.

• Sprinkle the gelatin in the ½ cup water and let it soak. Add the sugar to the yolks and beat till light and creamy.

• Add the puree and blend well.

• Place the double boiler or the container with the water over low heat, so that it is hot but not boiling.

• Place the pan over the warm water and cook, stirring all the time. This is the `custard’ for the soufflé.

• When the custard is warm, add the soaked gelatin and continue stirring till it reaches a coating consistency—take a spoonful of the custard and pour it out, and if it pours off leaving a coat of the custard that flows off slowly, it is done. Add the brandy. This has to cool till the custard gets partially set.

• Beat the egg whites to a state of stiff peaks. Cover. Beat the cream to a thick consistency. Beating of cream is a bit tricky so see to it that the cream is thoroughly chilled or keep it over ice and beat.

• Reserving a little cream for decorating, mix in the rest into the custard, in folding motions, and then `fold’ in the egg whites too, till no lumps are left. In case there is watery egg white at the base when you lift off the whipped portion, leave it there, as adding it will make a difference to the consistency of the set soufflé.

• Pour this into the bowl, decorate with the cream and the nuts and leave it to set in the refrigerator.