Orange Liqueur Soufflé

- 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
- 11⁄8 teaspoon salt
- 11⁄2 cups milk, warmed
- 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1⁄3 cup orange-flavored liqueur
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange peel
- 6 large egg whites
- confectioners’ sugar
- whipped cream (optional)
Instructions:
This is perhaps the most popular and elegant of all soufflés. Infuse it with your favorite orange liqueur: Grand Marnier, curaçao, or triple sec.
- In heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and salt; cook, stirring, 1 minute. With wire whisk, gradually whisk in warm milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon, until mixture has thickened and boils. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- With wire whisk, stir 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar into milk mixture. Gradually whisk in egg yolks, whisking rapidly to prevent curdling. Cool egg-yolk mixture to lukewarm, stirring occasionally. Stir in orange liqueur and orange peel.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 2-quart soufflé dish with butter and evenly sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
- In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. With rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of beaten egg whites into egg-yolk mixture; fold mixture back into remaining egg whites just until blended.
- Spoon mixture into prepared soufflé dish. To create top-hat effect (center will rise higher than edge), with back of spoon, make 1-inch-deep indentation all around top of soufflé about 1 inch from edge of dish. Bake until soufflé has puffed, is golden, and knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve immediately. If desired, pass whipped cream to spoon onto each serving.