Grand Marnier Dessert Souffle

Ingredients, Serves 4:

• 3 large eggs, whites separated from yolks
• 3 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur
• 1/2 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• cooking spray (can use any cooking oil)
• 4 ramekin dishes (3")

I love dessert souffles, although I can't eat them often (or I won't fit into my jeans!).  I went out and got some Grand Marnier liqueur, wow not cheap!  You can actually make souffles with any flavored liqueur.  Grand Marnier has an orange flavor.  You don't even have to use liqueur if you don't want to.  Orange juice or other juices can work as well.

Pre-heat oven to 400ºF and place a baking sheet on a center positioned rack.  Coat the 4 ramekins with the cooking spray and then sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar to coat the bottom and sides of the dishes.

Using a mixer, beat the egg yolks in a large bowl on medium-high for 5 minutes.  Slowly add 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla extract and Grand Marnier and mix for another 2 minutes.

In a separate large bowl, beat egg whites with mixer on high for 1 minute or until foamy peaks form.  Add cream of tartar and salt and beat another 30 sec.  Gradually add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in one quarter of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture until just mixed.  Gently fold in the rest of the egg white mixture.  Divide the mixture into the 4 ramekins.

Bake the souffles for 10 minutes or until golden brown on top and top has risen above sides of ramekins.  Gently take out of oven and dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately!  The Grand Marnier flavor goes well with raspberries or strawberries.

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Quintessential Sous Vide Poached Eggs

Sous Vide Details: Cook egg at 148F for 1 hour

Ingredients, Serves 2:

• 2 Eggs
• 2 Pieces of toast (I used whole grain)
• 1 T Thinly sliced Basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Special tool: 3" ring mold

Well, you can't be a sous vide chef without doing the "sous vide poached egg" meal.  It is quintessential sous vide!  So let's get to it.

Heat your water bath to 148F.  You can vary this temperature by 1 degree or two up or down to suit your doneness level.  I like mine velvety, like liquid custard.  Of course my wife doesn't like it that way at all!  She likes it done, done, done as in virtually hard boiled.  Oh well, I guess I can use both my water baths to get them to come out together!  That's another story though.

Drop the eggs in the water bath and cook for 1 hour.  That's it, just "drop it in and forget it!".  When there's roughly 5 minutes left on the egg, toast your bread and thinly slice the basil.  When the toast is done, place them on a cutting board and using the ring mold, make two round "toastlets".

When the eggs are done, you're ready to plate.  Put the toastlets on a white plate.  Take the egg and carefully crack and peel roughly half of the egg shell away, holding the egg in your hand.  Gently turn egg over onto the toast and it should slide right out whole.  You can leave it this way or take a spoon and cut it open to expose the yoke.  Season with salt and sprinkle pepper and basil over and around the eggs.  Visually enjoy before eating!

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