Chocolate-Chip, Apple & Rooibos Soufflé
Clinton Bonhomme
400 g fresh Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
200 g (250 ml) granulated sugar
3 Rooibos tea bags
100 g (110 ml) butter, melted
75 g (90 ml) castor sugar
200 g egg whites (about 6 eggs)
pinch of salt
80 g good-quality chocolate, chopped
icing sugar, for dusting
Method
1. Place the apples, sugar and Rooibos tea bags into a medium-sized saucepan, cover with the lid and simmer over medium heat to allow the liquid from the apples and tea bags to infuse. Remove the tea bags from the saucepan after 10 minutes.
2. Remove the lid and simmer until the liquid is reduced slightly (the sugar should be a straw-like colour). Remove from the heat and allow too cool. While still slightly warm, blend the mixture to form a smooth purée.
3. Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
4. Grease 6 ramekins well with the melted butter. Place 15 ml castor sugar in the base of each ramekin, shaking it around until the inside of each container is completely coated with the sugar (this will help the soufflé climb the sides of the dish during baking). Place the ramekins in the refrigerator to allow the butter to harden.
5. In a large, clean bowl, free from any oil or fat, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until the whites have doubled in size.
6. Weigh out 150 g of the apple-Rooibos purée. Take one-third of the egg whites and beat it into the 150 g apple-Rooibos purée to loosen it. Then fold the rest of the egg whites and the chocolate chips into the purée.
7. Scoop the mixture into the ramekins so that it is level with the rim. Run your thumb around the rim to ensure the mixture rises evenly when baking.
8. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar.
9. Serve immediately with the Rooibos Ice-Cream (see page 122).
Serves 6