Apple Semolina Souffle
From The Farmers’ Market Cookbook by Henrietta Green. This souffle recipe is best made with heritage variety apples.
Serves 4
25g (1oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
4 firm dessert apples
100g (4oz) caster sugar, plus extra for the final baking
500ml (18 fl oz) milk
1 vanilla pod, split
75g (3oz) semolina
75g (3oz) sultanas
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons light muscovado sugar
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4
Method
Prepare a 34 x 24cm (9½ x 13½ in) oval ovenproof dish by greasing it liberally with butter. Arrange the whole apples in the dish and dot with half the butter and sprinkle them with 15g (½oz) of the caster sugar. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until they begin to soften. Remove from the oven.
Meanwhile, to make the semolina mixture, bring the milk to the boil together with the vanilla pod, then lower the heat, add 75g (3oz) of the caster sugar, the semolina and the sultanas, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps forming and to stop the bottom from catching. Simmer for 3 minutes or until the mixture thickens, remove from the heat, leave to cool for 2-3 minutes, then pick out the vanilla pod.
In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks, then slowly add the remaining caster sugar and continue whisking until you have soft glossy peaks. Stir the egg yolks into the cooled semolina mixture and then briskly whisk in one third of the egg whites to loosen it slightly. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites with a large metal spoon or spatula. Pour the mixture around the baked apples, dab each apple with the remainder of the butter and sprinkle with the muscovado sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the soufflé rises around the apples and turns golden. Serve immediately.
RECIPE TIPS
Semolina inevitably brings back memories of ghastly school dinners (at least it does for those of us old enough to have been alive when schools still cooked). In fact, in looking it up, I discovered that the word refers to the ‘larger particles of endosperm which are sifted out in the milling of cereals. Although it was originally applied to durum wheat, it may now mean any very coarse flour (eg rice semolina, maize semolina). Unqualified, though, it always means semolina from wheat.’ It is, apparently, different from usual and finer-textured flour in that, when cooked, semolina has a texture more like a porridge than a paste. This makes for lightness and would explain why Raymond Blanc, whose original recipe this is, thought of using it in the first place. I also suspect that as a Frenchman he was never subjected to those ghastly school dinners, so he brings no prejudices to bear.
Check out our Little Green Book on Apples for more on where to buy apples, juices, cider and more...