From the 1980’s Grand Marnier Bottle

Grand Marnier Soufflé is a special French dessert with a golden, dome-shaped top and a sweet, orange-flavored crumb. It requires care in preparation, impeccable timing (When serving, you have to act fast because it deflates quickly), and, when done correctly, it is fluffy on the inside, tall, and crisp on the outside. Many recipes suggest poking a hole in the middle and pouring a sauce like crème anglaise into the center. Me, personally. I prefer a generous pour of Grand Marnier when serving.

I became aware of the soufflé while watching an old black-and-white movie, “Sabrina.”  The one with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. After I watched it, I convinced Lorelei, my sister, to make it for a gathering of friends in 1980. It has become a staple for birthdays and special occasions. The best part of this recipe is the Grand Marnier, an orange liqueur with a distinctive red cork stopper. While the recipe calls for only two tablespoons there is nothing to stop someone from pouring a healthy amount over the top of their serving like my friend Nancy Babcock was known to do. It is always worth having on the menu (As long as Lorelei makes it).

Ingredients

• 2 C Milk
• 2 T Butter
• ¾ C Sugar
• ⅓ C Flour
• 5        Egg yolks
• 7        Egg whites
• 1 t Cream of tartar
• 2 T Grand Marnier plus more for serving

Directions

Heat milk, add sugar.  Stir and bring to a boil. Mix butter and flour and stir into boiling milk. Blend into a thick creamy consistency.  Off the heat, add Grand Marnier.

In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until lemon in color.  Temper the egg yolks with the cream mixture, stirring constantly. Add tempered egg yolks to the rest of the cream mixture, stirring continually (this can be made one hour ahead; place a plastic wrap on the cream to keep it from forming a skin).  

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Fold beaten egg whites into the cream mixture.  Pour into a buttered sugared soufflé dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve immediately with additional Grand Marnier.