Whip up a divine pomegranate souffle with rose and raspberry cream
The Weekend Edition team is certainly guilty of finding any excuse to indulge in dessert. Someone’s birthday? Cake. Hot day? Gelato. Weekend? Homemade sweets. This divine recipe for light and fluffy pomegranate souffle captures the flavours of India while also being a dessert worthy of dinner party appreciation. Teamed with a rose and raspberry cream, it’s the perfect treat for any season. UK chef Anjum Anand recommends using 150 ml ramekin dishes if sticking to the cooking times detailed below. This recipe makes four, but can be doubled for more guests.
INGREDIENTS
Souffle
200 ml pure pomegranate juice
2 slightly rounded teaspoons cornflour
30 g caster sugar, plus 11/2 tablespoons more for the meringue, plus more for the ramekins
soft unsalted butter, for the ramekins
2 egg whites
Rose and raspberry cream
150 g raspberries
120 g double cream
20 g caster sugar, or to taste
2 teaspoons rose water, or to taste
TO MAKE
Start with the souffle. Whisk 25 ml of the pomegranate juice into the cornflour. Bring the remaining juice to a boil and reduce to 125 ml; it takes around four minutes and you will need to pour it back into the measuring jug to check (don’t worry if it slightly over-reduces).
Add the 30 g of sugar over the heat and, once it has dissolved, whisk in the cornflour slurry (it will thicken almost immediately). Return to a boil, whisking all the while, then boil for one to one-and-a-half minutes. Scrape into a container you can blend in (I use the same measuring jug and my stick blender). Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, butter the ramekins well and dust with sugar, turning the ramekins so they are all well coated and tapping out the excess.
Take 50 g of the berries, mash well and push through a nylon sieve. Stir into the cream with the sugar and rose water. Fold in the whole raspberries, taste and adjust the sugar and rose water to taste.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Whisk the egg whites until they reach soft peaks, sprinkle in the extra one-and-a-half tablespoon sugar and continue whisking until the meringue is glossy and firm.
Blend the pomegranate mixture until smooth once more. Place in a large bowl and whisk in around one-quarter of the egg white mix. Then, using a large spoon, carefully fold in the rest, trying to keep the lightness as you incorporate all the little lumps. Do not over-mix. Spoon equally into the ramekins and flatten the tops with a palette knife or other knife. Run the tip of your thumb around the inner rim of the ramekins and place on the middle shelf of the oven.
Bake for eight to nine minutes, or until well risen and slightly golden on top. Serve immediately with the rose and raspberry cream.
Recipe and images from Anjum’s Indian Vegetarian Feast by Anjum Anand. Published by Quadrille; photos by Emma Lee.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.