Apple and Quince Souffle
From the New Country Kitchen by Henrietta Green, this is a lovely autumnal souffle, best made with heritage variety apples for real depth of flavour.
Serves 4-6
30g (1oz) butter, plus extra for greasing
3 tbsp caster sugar
225g (8oz) quince, peeled
225g (8oz) eating apples, peeled and cored
2 cloves
1 tbsp Calvados
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp icing sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Grease a soufflé dish with butter. Put a tablespoon of the caster sugar into the dish and turn it round and round to coat it evenly with the sugar.
Chop the quince into small dice and put them into a heavy saucepan with 5 tablespoons of water. Chop the apples into slightly larger pieces and scatter them on top along with the cloves.
Cover the pan and simmer over a medium to low heat for about 10-15 minutes until the juices run and the fruit softens. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and simmer rapidly for a further 5-10 minutes until it has reduced to a soft but dry consistency.
Purée the fruit in a food processor or by passing it through a sieve. Stir in the butter, Calvados and caster sugar to taste (make the purée on the sweet side as the sweetness will be diluted by the beaten egg whites) and beat in the egg yolks while it is still warm.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Using a metal spoon, carefully fold them into the fruit purée. Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish and put the dish on a baking tray. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Half open the oven, carefully draw out the baking sheet just far enough to be able to reach the soufflé and sprinkle the top with icing sugar. Close the door gently and leave for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
RECIPE TIPS
The quince is a subtly fragrant fruit with a heady honeyed perfume. The type most familiar in Britain is similar to the pear in shape and it can be easily distinguished by its golden yellow skin covered with a dusty down. Quince is the one top fruit that cannot be eaten raw as it is too hard and acid. When cooked with sugar, however, the flesh turns a delicate soft pink and makes wonderful jam, jelly or paste. Interestingly, the Spanish name for the fruit is marmelo and it is thought that marmalade was originally made with quince, the use of Seville oranges being a later adaptation. In season from September to November, few quinces are actually grown in this country as the fruit prefers a warmer climate. So if you are tempted by this recipe and cannot find the right fruit, try it with pears instead, adding a little lemon juice to the poaching water.
Check out our Little Green Book on Apples for more on where to buy apples, juices, cider and more...
More apple recipes to try...
Main Course
Rack of Pork with Cider and Apple Butter
Side Dishes
Braised Red Cabbage with Apple
Citrus Salad with Watercress and Apple
Puddings
Apple and Walnut Tart
Baked Apples
Cider Syllabub with Apple Crisps
Caramel Apple Pavlova
Apple Bread
Jelly & Preserves
Apple and Plum Relish
Apple Sauce
Sloe and Crab Apple Jelly
Drinks
Wassail Cup