Julia Child's Lobster Soufflé Recipe

5 from 3 votes

This is the infamous Julia Child’s Lobster Soufflé. Julia says, “The souffle is undoubtedly the egg at its most magnificent". Try this recipe to see its magnificence!

Prep Time20

Cook Time55

Total Time1 15

Course: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: French

Keyword: eggs, Lobster Cheese Souffle, seafood

Servings: Servings

Calories: 327kcal

Author: Tara Noland

Equipment

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan or other hard cheese
2 1/2 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup hot milk
1/2 tsp. paprika
fresh grating of nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
3 grinds of white pepper
4 egg yolks
5 egg whites
Pinch of cream of tartar
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Lobster tail
1/2 cup white wine

Instructions

Butter a 7 1/2″ - 8″ round souffle dish. Roll the grated Parmesan around the sides and bottom of the dish. Have ready an aluminum collar that is 3″ above the dish and a straight pin to secure.
Preheat the oven to 400F and set the rack to the lower third level.
Pour white wine into a small saucepan and bring to boiling. Place lobster tail in and poach for approximately 8 min. Plunge into an ice bath to cool quickly. Let cool and remove meat and chop finely.
Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan and add the flour. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Do not brown.
Remove from the heat and cool slightly. Pour in all the hot milk at once and whisk vigorously to blend. Return the saucepan to the heat, and with a wooden spoon, stir and let boil slowly for 3 min. The sauce will turn very thick. Remove from heat and whisk in the paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. One by one, whisk in the egg yolks. Add cooked lobster.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch ot cream of tartar to stiff, shiny peaks. Scoop a quarter of the egg whites and stir into the egg yolk mixture. Turn the rest of the egg whites on top and gently fold in with a wooden spoon, alternately adding sprinkles of the grated Gruyere cheese. Spoon mixture into the prepared dish and place the aluminum collar on and secure with the pin.
Place in the oven. Reduce heat to 375F, bake for 30-35 minutes or until the souffle has puffed 2-3 inches and the top is nicely browned. You can slide a cake tester into the outer edge to make sure it is done.
Remove from the oven and carefully remove the collar. Bring to the table immediately and plunge two spoons into the center and pull the souffle apart. Serve onto individual plates. Lovely with a salad.

Video

Notes

See the post for more information, photos and tips.

Nutrition