Souffléd Pudding à la Royale

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) rimmed baking tray
• •5-cup (1.25-litre) Charlotte mould
• •Deep roasting pan for the bain-marie
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Flexible spatula
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Warm sauce jug

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the biscuit tray

   Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) rimmed baking tray, line it with parchment, and butter the parchment lightly. Set a second sheet of parchment on the worktop for turning out the biscuit.

2. 2

   Bake the biscuit

   Beat the three yolks with half the biscuit sugar until pale, thick, and able to leave a ribbon for several seconds. In a clean bowl, beat the three whites with the salt until they hold soft peaks, then add the remaining sugar gradually and continue until glossy medium peaks form. Fold one-third of the whites into the yolks to loosen them, then fold in the rest. Sift the cake flour over the bowl in two additions and fold only until no dry streaks remain. Stir a generous spoonful of batter into the melted butter, then fold that mixture back through the bowl. Spread the batter about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until pale gold and springy under a fingertip. Do not let it dry or darken, because an overbaked biscuit cracks instead of rolling.

   Fold with broad strokes from the bottom of the bowl, turning the bowl as you work. Stop as soon as the flour disappears; unnecessary mixing spends the air you worked to build.
3. 3

   Roll with jam

   Turn the hot biscuit onto the waiting parchment and peel away its baking paper. Trim only the dry edges, then roll the biscuit and clean parchment together from a short end while it is still warm. Leave it curled for 5 minutes, unroll it gently, and spread the jam in a thin, even layer to within ¼ inch (6 mm) of the edges. Roll it again without the parchment, keeping the cylinder tight but not crushing it. Chill seam-side down for 20 minutes. If a small crack appears, press it closed while the biscuit is warm and continue; the damaged slice can be used as a patch inside the mould.

4. 4

   Line the mould

   Lower the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter a 5-cup (1.25-litre) Charlotte mould thoroughly. Slice the chilled roll across into even ¼-inch (6-mm) rounds. Arrange the prettiest rounds closely over the bottom and sides, with their cut pinwheel faces against the metal. They must touch. If any metal remains visible, trim a small wedge from a spare round or press in biscuit crumbs moistened with a trace of jam. Ça se rattrape. A gap left open lets the soufflé preparation run behind the lining, spoiling both the pattern and the unmoulding. Chill the lined mould while you make the filling.

   Begin with one round at the centre of the mould, circle it tightly with the next slices, then build the sides upward in staggered rows. This closes gaps more neatly than stacking the rounds in straight columns.
5. 5

   Cook the panade

   Warm the milk with the ⅓ cup (70 g) sugar until the sugar dissolves and the milk is hot but not boiling. Melt the three tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, stir in the all-purpose flour, and cook for 90 seconds without allowing the roux to colour. Pour in the hot milk gradually while whisking. Cook over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring firmly, until the panade is smooth, very thick, and pulls cleanly from the sides of the pan. If it forms lumps, beat it hard while hot or press it through a fine sieve; ça se rattrape. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the four yolks one at a time.

6. 6

   Fold the soufflé base

   Beat the four egg whites with the salt until they hold soft peaks. Add the two tablespoons of sugar gradually and continue only until the whites are glossy and hold medium peaks with tips that bend. Stir one-third into the warm panade to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites in two additions. Keep the strokes broad and stop when the mixture is evenly ivory; streaks of white mean it needs another fold, while a loose, flat batter means it has been worked too far.

7. 7

   Poach in bain-marie

   Spoon the soufflé preparation into the lined mould without knocking the mould against the counter, filling it no higher than 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the rim. Cover with a round of buttered parchment, buttered side down, then tent the mould loosely with foil so the pouding has room to rise. Set the roasting pan on the oven rack, place the mould inside it, and carefully pour in boiling water until it reaches halfway up the mould. Poach for 45 to 50 minutes. The water should barely tremble, never boil hard; if it begins bubbling strongly, add a cup of cool water to the bain-marie and lower the oven slightly. The pouding is ready when the centre feels resilient, a thin skewer carries moist crumbs but no liquid batter, and the centre reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

8. 8

   Make the apricot sauce

   While the pouding poaches, combine the apricot preserves and water in a small saucepan. Bring them to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring until smooth and pourable. Press the sauce through a fine sieve, return it briefly to the pan, then remove it from the heat and stir in the Marsala. If it is too thick to pour, loosen it with hot water one tablespoon at a time; if too thin, simmer the apricot mixture a little longer before adding the Marsala. Keep the sauce warm, but do not boil it after the wine goes in or its aroma disappears.

9. 9

   Unmould and serve

   Lift the mould carefully from the bain-marie and let it stand for 8 minutes. Remove the foil and parchment, loosen only the uncovered top edge with a thin knife, then place a warm serving platter over the mould and invert both together. Wait 30 seconds before lifting the mould straight upward. If it resists, lay a warm, damp cloth around the outside for 20 seconds and try again. Bring the pouding to the table promptly, with the warm apricot-Marsala sauce in a separate jug so each serving receives its own generous spoonful. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Use a thick, seedless jam with enough acidity to stand against the sweet apricot sauce. Raspberry or redcurrant gives the clearest spiral; a loose jam leaks from the roll and stains the pale soufflé base.
• •A proper Charlotte mould has tall sides and a slight flare, but a smooth-sided 5-cup (1.25-litre) metal bowl is an honest home equivalent. Avoid glass if possible, because metal responds more quickly to the gentle heat of the bain-marie.
• •The biscuit roll and lining can wait. The soufflé base cannot. Once the whites are folded in, fill the mould and put it directly into the prepared bain-marie.
• •Choose dry or semisecco Marsala. The apricot preserves already supply ample sweetness, while a drier wine leaves the sauce fragrant and balanced.
• •Do not carry a roasting pan filled with boiling water across the kitchen. Set it on the oven rack first, pour the water around the mould from a kettle, and leave the water in the oven to cool after the mould is removed.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake, fill, and roll the biscuit up to one day ahead. Wrap it snugly and refrigerate it, then slice it while cold for the cleanest pinwheels.
• •The Charlotte mould can be lined up to 4 hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Patch every gap before chilling it.
• •The apricot sauce can be prepared without the Marsala up to 2 days ahead. Reheat it gently, adjust its consistency with a little water, and stir in the Marsala off the heat.
• •Mix and fold the soufflé preparation only when the lined mould, boiling water, and oven are ready. The finished pouding is at its best within 15 minutes of unmoulding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)