Best Chestnut Souffle Recipes

CHESTNUT-ARMAGNAC SOUFFLé WITH BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Blend chestnuts, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 tablespoon butter in processor until paste forms. Transfer mixture to small bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• Coat inside of 14-cup soufflé dish (about 8 1/4 inches wide and 3 3/4 inches deep) with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle dish with 1/4 cup sugar and tilt to coat bottom and sides evenly.
• Whisk 1/4 cup milk, egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Bring remaining 13/4 cups milk and 4 tablespoons sugar to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to same pan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens and boils, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add chestnut paste, Armagnac, and vanilla and whisk to blend well (some small pieces of chestnut paste will remain). DO AHEAD: Soufflé base can be made 2 hours ahead. Press plastic wrap onto surface; let stand at room temperature.
• Position rack just below center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into soufflé base in 3 additions. Transfer batter to prepared dish. Place souffléon small baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead; let stand at room temperature. Bake soufflé until puffed and just firm to touch in center, about 50 minutes. Serve immediately with sauce.
• Peeled cooked chestnuts; sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

CHESTNUT SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Gradually stir in flour with whisk; cook 2 minutes or until smooth and lightly browned. Gradually stir in milk; heat to boiling, stirring constantly until thickened.
• In small bowl, beat egg yolks. Slowly stir one-fourth of the hot milk mixture into yolks. Pour mixture back into saucepan; cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in chestnut puree, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into food processor. Cover; process 30 seconds or until smooth.
• In small bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold stiffly beaten egg whites into chestnut mixture. Spoon into ungreased 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until done. Garnish with fresh thyme sprig.

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CHESTNUT SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Position a rack in the center of the oven.
• Butter eight individual souffle dishes, each with a one-and-one-half- cup capacity. Sprinkle each with a little granulated sugar and shake out the excess.
• Put the chocolate pieces into a mixing bowl. Select a saucepan in which this bowl will fit neatly. Put an inch or so of water in the saucepan and bring to the simmer. Place the mixing bowl over, but not in, the water. Stir until the chocolate is melted and without lumps.
• Remove the bowl from the heat and continue stirring until the chocolate is cooled almost to room temperature.
• Put the eight tablespoons of butter and the brown sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Start beating the butter mixture while adding the yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla and chestnut puree and beat until smooth.
• Scrape the chocolate into the butter mixture and mix only until blended. If this is overbeaten, the mixture will become warm and separate.
• Beat the egg whites with the one- third cup of granulated sugar until they are shiny and hold soft peaks. Add about one-quarter cup of the beaten whites to the chocolate mixture.
• Scrape the chocolate mixture into the remaining beaten whites and fold gently. Pour an equal portion of the mixture into each of the prepared souffle dishes.
• Arrange the souffle dishes on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake 20 minutes or until the souffles are puffed and browned. Sift one teaspoon of confectioners' sugar over each souffle and serve.

CHESTNUT SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the chestnut puree, sugar, milk, and brandy. Add egg yolks and mix until smooth.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten whites into the chestnut mixture.
• Pour into an ungreased 1 1/2 quart souffle dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Top with whipped cream and serve.

CHICKEN-CHESTNUT SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Line a 9x13-inch dish with bread slices and top with chicken. Sauté mushrooms in butter and spoon over chicken. Top with water chestnuts, cheese, and soup mix. Combine mayonnaise, eggs, milk, and salt, beating well. Pour over cheese. Combine chicken and celery soups and pimento and spoon over casserole. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator overnight. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350°. Top with crumbs and bake 15-20 minutes longer. Fun Fact: The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing in Nanjing, China, was a pagoda constructed in the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty, but was mostly destroyed in the 19th century during the Taiping Rebellion. When it was built, the tower was one of the largest buildings in China, rising up to a height of 260 feet with 9 stories and a staircase in the middle of the pagoda, which spiraled upwards for 184 steps. The tower was built with white porcelain bricks that were said to reflect the sun's rays during the day, and at night as many as 140 lamps were hung from the building to illuminate it. Reconstruction of the tower and temple grounds began in 2010.

CHESTNUT SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Place milk in heavy small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk chestnut puree, 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in medium bowl; set aside. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; stir 1 minute. Add milk mixture; whisk until mixture boils and thickens, about 8 minutes. Stir into chestnut mixture. Whisk in brandy and salt. Mix in chopped chestnuts. Cool 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 375. Butter and sugar two 4-cup souffle dishes. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Beat in 2 tablespoons sugar. Continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into warm souffle base. Fold in remaining whites. Divide batter between prepared dishes. Bake souffles until puffed and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Spoon onto plates; serve immediately. *Known as creme de marrons; sold at specialty foods stores and some supermarkets. **Vacuum-packed chestnuts are sold at specialty foods stores and in the specialty foods section of some supermarkets.