Rhubarb-White Chocolate Soufflé
The markets are being flooded with fresh spring produce and i make it my personal goal to use as much as possible in the next few weeks. The latest discovery were young, tender stalks of fresh rhubarb. I love rhubarb and i can’t think of enough ways to use it but combine it with white chocolate in a glorious soufflé and it’s almost guaranteed you’ll eat them sitting on the kitchen floor as they come out of the oven. I mean… not that i would ever do anything like that..
Of course that’s assuming the poached rhubarb in syrup even make it to the soufflé. It’s hard to resist eating them straight out of the syrup, a temptation you shouldn’t take lightly if you’re known for you legendary sweet tooth and lack of restrain. Not that i am alluding to myself one bit here…
And there’s the white chocolate ganache with fresh vanilla bean sitting in a bowl on the kitchen counter ready to mingle with the egg whites. The natural instinct in most people would be to pick up a teaspoon to have a little taste. The next natural instinct, for those of us lacking self-control, would be to pick up a bigger spoon to have a bigger taste, and so forth…
Now, how did i end up with only 4 tiny soufflé cups with a recipe that serves 8?
Err.. I plead the fifth!.. My lawyer! I want to talk to my lawyer!!
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Rhubarb-White Chocolate Soufflé
- Adapted from Francois Payard in Chocolate Epiphany
- serves 8
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Rhubarb-White Chocolate Soufflé Recipe:
- 3 1/2 ounces white chocolate (preferably Valhrona), chopped
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- soft butter for the molds
- 2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for the molds
- 2 large egg yolks
- 5 large egg whites
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Poached Rhubarb:
- 8 ounces rhubarb, trimmed, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 stalk lemongrass, cut into chunks
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- Grated zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup sugar
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For the Poached Rhubarb:
- Preheat the oven to 400′ F.
- Put the rhubarb in a baking dish. In a saucepan, add the lemongrass, zests, sugar and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Pour the hot syrup over the rhubarb and place in the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender. Let it cool in the syrup.
- Put the chopped white chocolate in a medium bowl.
- Mix the flour, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the vanilla bean + seeds and bring to a boil.
- Pour a half of the hot milk into the yolk mixture and mix it well. Transfer back the yolk mixture to the milk and cook over medium heat for 1 minutes, whisking constantly, until thick and smooth. Pour the hot custard over the white chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth (if necessary, finish melting in a bain-marie). Cover with plastic wrap and let it cool to room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
- Generously brush the ramequins with soft butter. Add sugar and swirl it around the ramequins to coat the sides and bottom. Pour out the excess sugar.
- Drain rhubarb pieces on paper towels and place 3 or 4 chunks at the bottom of every ramequin. Refrigerate the ramequins until ready to use.
- Whisk the egg yolks into the white chocolate soufflé base. Whip the egg whites on medium speed in a Kitchenaid. Gradually add the 2 tablespoons of sugar after they reach soft peaks. Whip until they reach stiff peaks.
- Fold one scoop of the meringue into the soufflé base to lighten. Gently fold the remaining of the meringue until combined.
- Fill the ramequins with the mixture, wiping off the butter and sugar from the rim with your thumb.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes at 400′F, until they have risen and golden on top. Serve immediately.
Rhubarb-White Chocolate Soufflé Recipe:
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April 25th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Amazing dessert. We have four rhubarb plants and I can’t wait to try this one. Thanks!
April 25th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
Absolutely gorgeous! I’m already considering this one for the ton of rhubarb I’ve drowned my refrigerator under…if only, I could get over with being nervous about souffles
April 25th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
WOW! Brilliant! Gorgeous photos, perfect soufflés and fabulous flavor. Love rhubarb and pairing it with white chocolate is wonderful. Ooh I need to make soufflés too. And cook rhubarb…
April 25th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
OMG!!! la rhubarbe avec le chocolat blanc (déjà essayé c’est génial!) et cette dernière photo avec ses volutes de fumée!!! j’en perds mon anglais! J’adore!
April 25th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Wow, I’m drooling over this. That’s a wonderful combo, rhubarb and white chocolate. YUM!
April 25th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Beautiful dessert. I am going to have to give rhubarb a try this year. I have not had since I was a kid & I have scary memories of it. You may have just helped me get over it with this dessert!
April 25th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
What a beautiful and original use of rhubarb! Your photos are really lovely.
April 25th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Wow! These look amazing. It’s always inspiring when someone can pull off such gorgeous souffles.
April 25th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I already love rhubarb, I love white chocolate and I love soufflé’s. And I want to loose weight. Apparently that’s not going to happen this week
great recipe!
April 25th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
What a lovely dessert! The souffles look perfect and I love the flavor combination.
April 25th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
I’d never have thought of white chocolate and rhubarb but what a great combo.
April 25th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
gorgeous !! that photo of the whisk is incredible. and the steam in the last shot, brilliant. j’adore !
April 25th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
Yummy souffle! Pity we do not find rhubarb easily here in Sicily.. Have to wait to be back in Germany to try them
April 25th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Love the closeup photo of the steaming rhubard in the ramekin.
Yum!
April 25th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
amazing!
blowing peachkisses
The Peach Kitchen
peach and things
April 26th, 2010 at 1:20 am
I just got some new ramekin yesterday, maybe this is what I’ll make next! thanks for the recipe.
April 26th, 2010 at 1:41 am
I have never had rhubarb. These souffles sound delicious w/the white chocolate. Love the mini ramekins…beautiful presentation!
April 26th, 2010 at 2:49 am
lovely recipe and gorgeous photos of all your recipes, David!
April 26th, 2010 at 7:38 am
This is a delicious looking souffle. I bet it was enjoyed by all who ate it.
April 26th, 2010 at 10:16 am
Beautiful souffles! The rhubarb sounds delicious with white chocolate.
April 26th, 2010 at 10:39 am
How gorgeous – I adore rhubarb. I’m fairly sure I would have eaten half the mix too…
April 26th, 2010 at 11:37 am
That is a perfect looking souffle if there ever was one. I love the hidden surprise at the bottom of the ramekin, too.
April 26th, 2010 at 11:56 am
oh! I am speechless with that high souffle! just perfect!
April 26th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
That looks like something you would get at a fancy smancy Paris restaurant!
bittersweetsugarandsarcasm.blogspot.com
April 26th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Zen is this how you make women fall in love with you? What a beautiful souffle!!!!! When I worked in a french restaurant, my first assignment was to perfect the souffle. two weeks later I finally became a pro, but since then I have not made any at home. Maybe I will test my skills with this recipe soon
April 26th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Well you have convinced me, I have got to try this!
April 26th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
Exquisite! Wish I could have one Right NOW!! Lemongrass w/ rhubarb – a must-try combo I’d not considered, yummmm. Now if only it were easier to find decent rhubarb in this southern city… another thing to miss re the NW, lol. Thanks for the inspirations!!!
April 26th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Come on Zenman, we all know what happened to the rest of those gorgeous souffles! Not even a lawyer could help you get out of this! They looks amazing – I can’t wait to see what else spring brings us!
April 26th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Ah sorry that is, they look amazing… not looks amazing. My english is horrible – I am suffering from jet lag.
April 26th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You said RHUBARB!!
Okay. I’ll be quiet and be mature now.
Well, no I won’t. I would be taking those big spoonfuls and ending up with tiny desserts too.
April 26th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
These are beautiful. I can’t wait until my rhubarb is ready!
April 27th, 2010 at 8:04 am
It looks amazing and I am drooling and still waiting your invitation for dinner (it is ok if you decide bake this souffle then:)).
April 27th, 2010 at 9:47 am
Um… How could I have missed this in Chocolate Epiphany?? Oh, yeah. You just make everything look that much better!!
April 27th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Amazing. I am craving for rhubarbs so much, but they are not ready yet here in Estonia. As soon as they are, I´ll copy this recipe! Thanks!
April 27th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Avec des soufflés aussi mignons, y a pas de shitlist qui tienne. Il faudrait être un monstre.
April 27th, 2010 at 9:12 pm
These soufflés simply look perfect. Great job!!
April 27th, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Lovely souffles there! I am loving the rhubarb out there now, it’s so beautifully ruby red!
April 28th, 2010 at 9:13 am
These souffle’s look awesome!
April 28th, 2010 at 2:02 pm
You sound just like me when it comes to baking! Somehow more of the buttercream always ends up in my belly than on the cake. Oh well, at least I can always make another batch!
These souffles look glorious. I love your goal to use tons of spring produce while it’s here. It is definitely some of the best stuff you can find!
April 29th, 2010 at 5:07 am
Oh yumm I am drooling!!!
May 2nd, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Not too long ago I was lusting over a rhubarb and vanilla creme brulee. And now these lovelies – wow – what a brilliantly delicious way to enjoy fresh spring rhubarb. Thank you for sharing!
May 6th, 2010 at 2:08 am
Thanks, Zen, for the wonderful recipe. And the comment to my estonian blog
. I answered there, tak a look! 
May 19th, 2010 at 11:16 am
Rhubarb is great, white chocolate is my favourite, put them both into a souffle that has to be good.
August 22nd, 2011 at 2:47 pm
This is a recipe I will definately try! Thanks for sharing.
August 22nd, 2011 at 2:47 pm
This is a recipe I will definately try! Thanks for sharing.