I am a creature of habit, and every morning I, without fail, have a cortado with homemade almond milk and a piece of fruit. for the last two months, that fruit has been an orange - so it was only a matter of time before the orange made it into the soufflé series.

This recipe stems from the lemon soufflé recipe from earlier this month, but features orange. It uses more juice (as it’s less acidic) and some of those little juicy bits (also known as juice vesicles). I love a nice cold orange in the morning, so I wasn’t sure I would like it warm, but I was wrong – I prefer this version to the lemon!

In addition to being delicious, I just find the plating so *whimsical* for this soufflé. Which other soufflés can you bake up in it’s own flavor? The orange is not only sturdy enough but also the perfect size - I used Sumo’s (for larger servings) and Minneola tangelo’s (for mini soufflés). Both were excellent, but this is, of course, optional – find all the details in the recipe below.

The full soufflé series:

Makes 4-10 individual-sized orange soufflés (see the Serving Dishes section below)

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There is an image that has been stuck in my head for the last two years: it’s a series of three descending cakes, each bell-shaped and decorated with an upside-down fondant flower. This cake was a contender for me and Théo’s civil ceremony, as the flower reminded me of my bouquet flower, lily of the valley (a symbol of good luck in France). I decided to go for a more traditional French wedding cake, but the bakery forgot to even make one in the end. Either way, I still hadn’t scratched the itch of some florals covered cakes.

As someone admittedly terrible at decorating, I knew I would never be able to make the cakes look exactly as they do in the photograph – decorated with a tutu of buttercream and perfectly cut, scalloped, and layered fondant. I sat with this thought for so long, until spring arrived this year, and I realized I could just let the natural beauty of real flowers do all the work.

The flower for this cake had to be magnolia: it’s one of the first blooms of spring; the flavor is a wonderful mix of rose, cardamom, and ginger; its long tear-dropped petals that cup inwards make it a perfect candidate for flipping upside down and onto a cake; the petals’ color is on the outside, allowing us to see its beauty when turned upside-down; and the thickness allows it to hold up for a couple of hours.

The base of this cake is a pound cake, buttery and somewhat neutral, letting the magnolia flavor shine. A pound cake is also a fantastic vehicle for the magnolia flavor, as magnolia compounds are fat-soluble, meaning their aromas release into the butter as you whip it (extensive butter beating is essential for achieving the pound cake’s texture).

To accommodate the size of the magnolia blossoms, these cakes are to be individually sized. I baked mine in a popover pan, although a cupcake tin or muffin pan would also do. Once the magnolia pound cakes are cooled, they get a white chocolate ganache drip-glaze (pairing a light white chocolate flavor with the floral notes). The ganache is optionally dyed and flavored simply with a bit of (Meyer) lemon and vanilla to complement the cake. The whole thing then gets finished with an upside-down flower, placed as if it is just about to open up.

More flower-y/spring-y recipes:

Makes 6 individual-sized cakes

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Now that spring is here–the days are getting brighter and longer, the weather is still a bit nippy, and the sunlight is becoming a warmer shade of yellow–there is one soufflé on my mind that will usher in the season best: a bright lemon soufflé over a punchy coulis.

I love how the addition of just one ingredient, a lemon (zest and juice), can transform a vanilla soufflé base into something so much brighter. While lemon can make a soufflé extra delicious, it can also absolutely ruin soufflé. Too much lemon and the acid overworks the starch making it gummy (my first test was ultimately a lemon curd folded with whipped egg whites – it currently holds the #1 spot for worst baking failure of ‘26). I worked my way down, 5g at a time over a half dozen tests, and finally landed at 25g. This amount of lemon is the sweet spot, not changing the texture too much, but still adding a bit of lemon zing.

To brighten the soufflé up a bit more, I added a coulis/compote underneath, and it is fantastic (just like the Salzburger soufflé). A raspberry or strawberry coulis transforms this into a soufflé dessert version of pink lemonade, and baking it over a blueberry compote or kumquat marmalade beautifully amplifies those tart, citrusy notes (my and Théos’ preference).

I couldn’t help but match these springy-zingy soufflés with the lightest-bounciest dress in my closet. I love how all the color blocks of yellow, red, blue, and orange match the brightly colored compotes and souffle. The dress was a major score back from February’s trip to Tokyo. I found some gorgeous second hand alternatives here, here, and here, if you love Pleats Please as much as I do.

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Makes 4 6oz soufflés (underfilled or makes 3 + a little extra when properly filled)

Lemon Soufflé:
Butter and sugar for the ramekins
Custard:
115g whole milk
1 large lemon (zest + some of the juice)
10g cornstarch
4g all-purpose flour
10g sugar
1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
35g egg yolks (~2 large)
6g butter
3g vanilla extract optional
Egg Whites:
50g powdered sugar
120g egg whites (~3 large) room temperature
1/4 tsp vinegar (or substitute with lemon juice if you have more)

Optional Compote/Coulis:
60-80g of any of the following:

• Raspberry coulis from the Salzburger recipe

• Strawberry coulis (use the Salzburger recipe but eliminate the water and liqueur + reduce the sugar to 60g)

• Kumquat marmalade from my J.Crew collab

• Blueberry compote from the Blueberry Crumb Pancake recipe (cut the recipe in half and replace the maple syrup with sugar)

Tools:
Hand mixer or stand mixer
4 ramekins for baking, or jars (mine were 6 oz, but you could use even smaller ramekins or make 1 soufflé in a large ramekin – just note it will change the bake time)

You can find ingredient information and tips for conversions on my conversion cheat-sheet page. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment!

Prep!

Make the coulis/marmalade/compote of your choice (see links in the ingredient section).

Preheat your oven to 400f, and place an oven rack on the lowest rung, leaving ample room on top for the soufflé. Take a baking sheet and place it in the lower rack of your oven. Grab a small baking tray or cake pan (8x8 or 9x9), fill it with 3 cups of water, and place it at the bottom of your oven. This will add steam, leading to a more even cook on the soufflé.

Take your ramekins and butter the sides (I usually use a butter wrapper, but for a more traditional method, melt the butter and brush it upwards). Then add some sugar and turn the cup to coat all of the sides. Tap out any excess. Add your compote/coulis into the bottom of each ramekin, dividing it equally. Set the ramekins aside in a cool place so the butter doesn’t melt while you prepare the soufflé.

For the jars: I found that the souffle liked to rise so high it would spring out of the jars. To stop this from happening you can omit the butter and sugar entirely, or you can butter and sugar and just cross your fingers. (I usually use a butter wrapper, but for the jars in the picture I needed to use melted butter and a pastry brush).

Thickened Base/Custard!

Grate the zest from your lemon into a medium-sized pot and add your milk. Set over medium-low heat on the stove while you prepare the rest of the custard. Grab a medium-sized mixing bowl and add your cornstarch, flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Then add in your egg yolks (reserve the whites for the soufflé) and whisk again to thoroughly combine.

At this point, the milk should be steaming. Slowly pour in a stream of milk while whisking the yolks to temper. Once you’ve added about 2/3rds of the milk, pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pot, and use a soft spatula to add every last bit of egg mixture from the bowl. Set the bowl aside and return to the stove. Continue whisking over medium heat until it thickens into a homogenous paste.

Remove from the heat and scoop the cooked custard back into the bowl that you whisked your egg yolks in. Add the butter, and add 25g of lemon juice (no more or it will affect the texture). Add your vanilla extract if using.

Whisk thoroughly to thin out the custard, getting rid of any lumps. Then set aside while you prepare the egg whites.

Egg Whites!

Grab the sugar for the soufflé and measure it into a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

In a large mixing bowl (or in your stand mixer bowl), add the egg whites and vinegar (or lemon juice). Grab your stand mixer or hand mixer and mix the eggs at the lowest setting for 30 seconds. Then go up a level and mix for another 30 seconds. Then up another level and mix for another 30 seconds. Slowly increasing the speed like this leads to a more stable egg white. Your egg whites will thus be stronger when you go to fold in your custard. Continue doing this until you get to soft peaks (you should be at or near the highest speed at this point), then add in 1/3rd of your powdered sugar and repeat until all your powdered sugar has been incorporated.

The egg whites are done and properly whipped when they are shiny, have tiny and uniform air bubbles, and there is a sudden shift in texture. It should seem thicker/stiffer, and when you lift the beaters out, it should hold a tall peak (curving just at the tip) and not slump over immediately. Once you’ve noticed all of this, your egg whites are done. Do not continue, or you risk over-whipping them. When over-whipped, they will lose their shine, becoming cloudy and cottage cheese-like. Please refer to the video in Baking Blocks Pt. 1 for a visual of properly whipped whites!

Assembly + Bake!

Grab the beaters with the egg whites on them and use them to loosen up the custard, mixing on low – this is important. Add 1/4th of the whipped egg whites to the custard, and gently whisk to incorporate and loosen it further. Then add the loosened/lightened custard to the bowl of the remaining egg whites and fold until combined.

Place your butter and sugar-lined ramekins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently scoop the soufflé batter into each ramekin, up to the rim. Level the top with an offset spatula. Run your thumb along the top inner rim of the ramekin, creating a little trench to help release the soufflé (otherwise it will stick and lead to an uneven top). See the video above for a visual!

Transfer to the oven, placing the baking sheet of ramekins on top of the pre-warmed baking sheet (this helps with rise). Close the oven door and decrease the oven to 350f. Set a timer for 15-17 minutes for 4-5 oz ramekins or 18-20 minutes for 6-7 oz ramekins.

While the soufflés bake, this is a great time to clean your dishes and prepare your serving plates.

When done, the soufflés will have risen significantly with a set top. Transfer the soufflés to your serving plates and enjoy immediately! While this soufflé is less temperamental than the Salzburger, it is still best enjoyed quickly out of the oven.

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The full soufflé series:

More soufflé content:

Below is a selection of favorites in case you want to save them for your own trip. This is not a comprehensive guide, but rather a collection of some great (mostly food-related) moments from our vacation. This trip was planned almost entirely by my husband, in less than two weeks (thank you, Théo!), with help from Eric on where to eat, what to order, and making reservations (thank you, Eric!).

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A Note On Packing

This past summer, I wrote about how I usually only travel with carry-on luggage. However, because of the different climates of this trip (Hong Kong was in the high 60s, and Beijing never warmed up past freezing temp), I was able to convince Théo to let me bring a larger suitcase.

This meant I could have a little more fun with what I packed. Almost all the same packing rules applied since I wasn’t able to pack much extra due to bulky coats and boots, but I did change up my strict color scheme. Instead of just packing black, white, and neutrals, I swapped out the neutrals for red, blue, silver, and packed a whole bunch of fun color stockings. It all started when I realized my L’eggs tights matched my J.Crew sweater (it seems to be all sold out in red, but they have many other red sweaters, and this one is at the top of my list – perfect for spring and matching with colored tights). Adding these pops of color was such a fun way to liven up my outfits.

I was also happy to notice this matching of tights and sweaters at the FFORME show back in February, so I have a feeling I’ll be doing it again next fall. Where should I get more great tights from?

Hong Kong

This was my first time in Hong Kong, but I hope it will not be my last. I loved it. While we averaged 4 copious meals + 1 egg tart a day, we barely scratched the surface of our saved spots. I can’t wait to come back, return to our favorites, and try some new places.

FAT J Char Siu – Simply divine Char Siu. Get the combo that comes with rice, vegetables, and an egg. It’s the perfect plate.

Big JJ Seafood Hot Pot – The broth is so good: a little briny (from the clams), a little sweet (from the corn), and truly delicious when paired with the veg, meats, and seafood. Our only regret was not traveling with friends so we could order more!

Seventh Son – Phenomenal. There are two items in particular that are musts in my book: the vegetable dumpling and the half suckling pig - cannot wait to return and have them again.

Mak An Kee Noodle – Light and bouncy all around (shrimp wontons, noodles in a light broth, etc.). The gai lan with hoisin was also cooked to perfection.

Jus – There are only three noodle dishes on the menu. I can confirm the two we tried are incredible. I’d pick whichever of the options speaks to you.

Forum – We truly loved every single dish we tried here, and we will be returning to savor the following again: deep-fried turnip pastry, crispy rice rolls with Hokkaido scallop, sweet and sour pork, char siu bao, and steamed eggplant. All are a must order in my book.

Oi Man Sang – Was so much fun. I would order the same meal again: clams with chili and black bean sauce (get the smaller razor clams or regular clams), typhoon shelter seafood (we got the mantis shrimp, but think we would have preferred regular ones or the crab), black pepper beef and potatoes, and gai lan with wine and ginger.

Bolton Cafe – On our last morning, before heading to our flight, we went to the closest cha chaan teng to our hotel. We tried our first light and fluffy, crispy-topped pineapple bun, and a Hong Kong style french toast stuffed with peanut butter and fried to perfection. We washed it all down with a delicious milk tea.

Egg Tarts – I planned to try two versions on this trip. I picked up a traditional crumbly pastry crust version from one of the oldest bakeries in the city, Tai Cheong Bakery. For the version with a puff pastry crust and more caramelized top, I went to Hashtag B. I enjoyed them both equally, but for different reasons. I loved the savory/saltiness of the traditional crust, but enjoyed the depth of flavor from the puff-crusted tart. I’m interested to hear which kind you prefer!

Activities:

• Running along the waterfront every morning at dawn

• A walk to see a view of the city at night (stunning)

• Vintage shopping at HULA (one of the best vintage shopping experiences I have had – the location in Quarry Bay is massive)

• Going to M+ and Hong Kong Palace museums

• Stopping at I love Cake for baking supplies

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Beijing

Xin Rong Ji – Our first meal straight from the airport. They have a beautiful dining room with food to match. My favorite dish of the night was the raw drunken mud crab with amber wine. The squab, hairtail (belly and flesh), scallop, and a baby yellow croaker are also musts.

Huaiyang Fu – Their signature shengjian bao (pan-fried pork soup bun) is one of the most heavenly bites I’ve had in recent years (I’ve been trying to find one as good back home, and I have tried some really delicious ones & Shanghai Time is next on my list, but please drop any recommendations you may have in the comments). Also, do not skip their sublime, jiggly-melty arrowroot braised pork.

Lamdre – They focus on a seasonal, vegetarian tasting menu, where they perfectly pair 3-4 vegetables in a dish, and prepare them absolutely sublimely. Each veg. is given the breathing room to shine in its unique, beautiful, textural deliciousness, while also working in harmony with other ingredients to create a dish that feels both familiar and refreshing. My high school English teacher always said that poetry is the best words in the best order – that was this meal, undoubtedly one of the best meals I will have all year.

Peking Duck – While in Beijing, we made sure to eat one of our favorite foods, Peking Duck, twice. At Da Dong, we ordered the suckling duck, which is the perfect size for two. It has lots of thick, crispy, crackly, and crave-able skin. At Siji Minfu, the skin was thinner, and the very juicy and tender meat was emphasized more.

Jichuan (located inside the Atour hotel) – The snowflake beef mapo tofu is the best I’ve ever had. Also order the chongqing chicken and the cold noodles.

Activities

• Mutianyu Great Wall of China was absolutely incredible, a memory I will cherish forever

• The Forbidden City is wonderful, especially with a tour.

• The National Museum of China is incredible. Personal highlights include their phenomenal collection of ancient bronzes, terracotta, and porcelain. Be sure to set aside at least 4 hours to try and see as much as possible.

• The Capital Museum also has some lovely gilded works (look at those boots!)

Tokyo

We were in Tokyo this year on nearly the same dates as our honeymoon last year. You can find all of our favorite spots from that trip (which also has our favorite spots from Hokkaido and Kyoto) on the AMIGO app (use code: PARISGO to skip the wait).

This year, the new J.W. Marriott Tokyo hosted us, and it was a really fantastic stay. The views from every single space are absolutely remarkable: you can see Mt. Fuji from the gym, Tokyo Tower from the pool, and cityscapes at breakfast and from your room (we kept the curtain open every night to look at it as we went to sleep). All the amenities–the breakfast, the bar, the spa, etc. were so thoughtfully done (I got to experience the comfiest massage table I’ve ever been on). Additionally, the hotel is conveniently located right off two metro lines, making it easy to get around for all your activities.

400C – While we loved last year’s itinerary so much, we wanted to try some new spots. This was the one exception. Last year, we loved their pizza for the balance of salt and olive oil (high in both), as well as the giant, fluffy, airy, and burnished crust. On this second visit, we noticed a lot of the pizzas also had capers, something I will now be incorporating in my own pizzas for a little salty brininess.

Yakiniku Kokoichi – We adored last year’s Yakiniku meal at Jumbo Hanare where we feasted on tender and flavorful premium cuts of meat. This year, we wanted to try more cuts we don’t get to have very often, so we went to Yakiniku Kokoichi and got some tongue, liver, and stomach lining (in addition to ones we eat more often, like short rib, beef cheek, etc.). All the meats were delicious, well marinated, and really opened my eyes!

Sushi Nogi – A new spot offering a great deal on an omakase sushi lunch. I am so happy we went. The chef beautifully balanced creativity with technique. There were hand-shredded, raw, marinated scallops, mackerel paired first with sudachi and then with chives, and baby eels blanketing rice with a bit of uni tucked in between and shaped with shiso leaf for a floral-bitter-sweet finish.

Osaba no Kouga – Here, I got to indulge in much more uni. I ordered the cold soba loaded up with a mound of it. It has just a hint of wasabi and thinly shredded nori on top to season. It tastes just as amazing as you would imagine.

Saki – There was another delicious uni dish (yes, I was very spoiled on this trip) at Saki, where I was invited to dinner by JW Marriott. One of the first courses included an aspic of uni and surf clam in a savory-sweet, tomato-seaweed broth. I wish all aspics tasted this good; if they did, I would eat them far more often. I also loved all the tuna courses, but the hand roll with Szechuan peppercorns, leek, and perilla was especially delicious. Then there was also tuna sashimi with each of the three types (akami, chutoro, otoro) treated differently. My favorite, as always, was the chutoro, plus it was served to look like a cup of ice cream – major bonus points. Speaking of dessert, the pastry chef is phenomenal. Despite being stuffed to the brim, I could not help but polish off both the strawberry tart with soy milk custard and the chocolate-tea ganache.

Ponta Honke – This place has the best vibes, and I thoroughly enjoyed the scallop (lots of little baby scallops bunched together and fried – so sweet and so perfectly cooked) and the pork (the thin and lean cutlets allow for maximal crunch and intense pork flavor). I <3 katsu.

Yakitori Omino – Here, the skewers only stop when you say you’re done. At lunch service, Théo and I were proudly the last two standing at 20 skewers each. The cook, flavor, seasoning, and texture were fantastic on all of them, and I got to try some new cuts I’ve never had before.

Teuchi Oyatori Chūkasoba – On our final day, we had ramen booked, but realized with a flight change, we would no longer be able to make it. I suggested we go here instead, and I am so happy we did. The noodles are thick, chewy, and bouncy perfection, and are paired with a rich, layered, and complex chicken broth. Théo ordered the special, which was indeed very special - if we had had more time before heading to the airport, we probably would have gotten a second bowl to share.

Activities

Tokyo has so many phenomenal museums. I suggest checking here to see what is up while you are in town, and pick whatever looks interesting to you. On this trip, we averaged about two museums a day.

• A favorite was up at the Mitsui Memorial Museum, where a collection of classical poetry cards left my jaw dropped (sorry, no photos were allowed in that specific room, but I added a photo from another room).

• We also love the Nezu Museum, which not only has a phenomenal garden and collection of ancient Chinese bronzes, but a divine exhibition of textiles (again, no photos allowed, sorry).

• Tokyo National Museum consists of 4 buildings with so many wonderful pieces. It’s a must-visit. I suggest getting a sweet potato at the little truck parked outside after. It’s the perfect treat and is as sweet as honey.

Shopping + (More) Sweets

If you find yourself at Isetan for some shopping, go to the basement and head into the depachika (prepared foods wonderland) and get a selection of things that stand out to you. I love the banana cream cake at Nihombashi, which features a whole banana enveloped in a ~2” thick cloud of whipped cream, with the lightest, hot-dog-shaped sponge you have ever tried. I also tried the chestnut tart from Pomology, which I believe came with a chestnut frangipane on the bottom (I would love to try making this myself).

We wanted to take a knife-sharpening class while in town, but the company Théo found was off that week, so we decided to just head to Hands and pick up some knife-sharpening equipment for dummies like us. Hands is a variety store with carefully curated sections for just about every part of your life. It’s truly worth taking some time to browse all the shelves and get yourself a few items.

While I do love a well-selected variety store, I also love a store extensively dedicated to one item. Kanya Brush specializes in all things brush: pot scouring brushes, vegetable scrubbing brushes, wet and dry body brushes, lint brushes, hair brushes, and brushes for cleaning your brushes. I have loved using all the brushes I got.

The internet will probably have far better vintage and secondhand shopping recommendations than I will, but I would suggest looking at vintage and secondhand items in the Koenji neighborhood (I just did a Maps search for both ‘vintage’ and ‘secondhand’). I got a wild Pleats Please dress (you’ll see it next month), and Théo snagged a thick vintage roll neck sweater and a reversible light coat. All for great prices – score. I’d also check out the RAGTAG locations in Shibuya and Harajuku (among other secondhand stores), which are incredibly well curated!

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Related Posts:

Past March Posts:

I wondered at first if it made any sense. After all, soup is a thick liquid, and soufflé is a light and airy solid. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that they actually have a bit in common (and make a fun pun!).

One soup in particular, French onion soup, had just enough similarities with soufflé to convince me it was worth a try: both are characterized by an oven-finish that creates a risen or boiled over look, and comté/gruyère are integral for flavor.

Because of my extensive deep dive into soufflés (see the bottom of the recipe for links to the entire series), there were only a couple of tweaks to be made. Last week’s soufflé recipe focused on adding morsels of flavor, and I can think of few morsels that pack as much punch as sweet-savory-rich caramelized onions. From there, the only other (new) tweak was to the béchamel: swapping some of the milk for homemade beef stock, and adding a splash of sherry, a little beef bouillon, and some herbs. This deeply flavorful, beefy béchamel tastes just like a concentrated French onion soup.

Upon taking the tureens spilling over with soup-fflé from the oven, I knew that the whole cheese-crusted-dish-vibe of French onion soup was really coming alive, and after the first spoonful, I knew that my initial hunch was right; it was indeed meant to be.

P.S. A lot of French onion soup dishes are already oven-safe, but always check the individual make/model before baking.

P.P.S. This soup-fflé will likely spill over (nearly all of mine did). My theory is that as the onions retain some moisture, they create steam and make the soufflé base less sturdy. Thus, when it rises, it will also slide around and slip over the edge. There’s nothing you can really do about it (I tried), so just enjoy that this soup-fflé mimics how a normal French onion soup bubbles over the edges.

Makes 4 6oz soufflés

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It made me realize how delicious that would be, and I decided to develop a *soufflandwich*.

This series was, in large part, inspired by some delicious savory soufflés I had at Auberge Bressane in Paris. They have seasonal/daily specials of savory and sweet soufflés. When trying both the morel and the crab versions, I learned that their cheese soufflé is sturdy enough to add ingredients inside, allowing for delicious, flavorful morsels dispersed throughout each bite of light and fluffy cheese soufflé.

So, with the egg and cheese base already there, I decided to transform two delicious breakfast sandwiches: sausage, egg, and cheese, and spinach-artichoke.

These sandwiches can be baked in a brioche or choux bun, or *could be* baked in ramekins and served with toast/baguette (for a little scoop and spread situation).

P.S. The recipes for brioche and choux are in my archives and are linked below in the recipe.

Makes 3 bread bowls from large brioche/choux buns or 3 8oz ramekin soufflés.

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The first soufflé I ever made was a cheese version, and I have continued to make them for years. They make a fantastic side dish (warm, cheesy, fluffy, and gooey — what more could you ask for?), pairing well with vegetables and meats alike. Plus, they're always an impressive feat to pull out of the oven in front of friends and family.

Looking at all three of my soufflé base recipes, it seems we have created a bit of a soufflé matrix:
Part 1: Includes custard, but not sugar in the whipped egg whites.
Part 2: Includes custard, and sugar in the whipped egg whites.
Part 3 (this recipe): Includes ‘custard’ (béchamel), but not sugar in the whipped egg whites.

I thought this recipe would be easier to develop because, 1. I’ve made a bunch of these soufflés, and 2. I didn’t think there was a technique to whipping egg whites without sugar – silly me, I was so wrong. I kept opening the oven door to a gorgeously light soufflé, which would then collapse upon being removed. I was making adjustments to make each iteration more stable: I tried adding cornstarch to the whipped egg whites, reducing the amount of butter in the roux, switching out the cheeses, etc.

It hadn’t occurred to me that one ingredient in the whipped egg whites, weighing in at about 1g, was deflating the whole soufflé. In the sweet soufflé, the sugar and vinegar have a dual purpose: they season and stabilize the whipped egg whites. The salt, on the other hand, is really just there for seasoning. In a sweet soufflé, where there’s a good amount of sugar, that tiny bit of salt is seemingly inconsequential. But, as I came to learn, in a savory soufflé with no sugar in sight, that same amount of salt was weakening the stability of the egg whites and making the soufflé much more prone to collapse. As soon as I fixed this, the soufflé that emerged from the oven was–dare I say–perfect? It’s cheesy, light, and stable. It really is like a cheese-cloud.

I was unable to resist taking one bite after another. I was reminded of the last time I was this head over heels for a wheel of cheese, during my cheese-baked-in-puff-pastry phase (I spoke about this extensively back in December), and I realized how great the soufflé when served with cheese board accompaniments. So I plated it up like a giant melty wheel of baked cheese alongside apple (this is a delicious pairing with the strong flavors of gruyère/comté), toasted baguette, saucisson, almonds, dates, and olives. Théo especially enjoyed making little ‘sandwiches’ with a slice of bread on the bottom and saucisson on top – which just gave me an idea for a future variation… Stay tuned!

P.S. Leftover soufflé reheats beautifully in the oven, and is especially delicious with a ratatouille (in case you still have some from that big batch ratatouille recipe from September)!

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Makes 4 smaller cheesy soufflés or 1 large cheesy soufflé

Cheese Soufflé:
25g+ finely grated parm for dusting the ramekin(s)/baking dish
140g milk
15g butter + more for dusting the ramekin(s)/baking dish
18g flour
75g comté or gruyère
1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Some cracks of Black pepper; a 1/2 tsp of mustard; a dash of nutmeg, cayenne, or paprika optional flavoring (you can add as many or as few as you desire)
35g egg yolks (from ~2 large eggs)
1/8 tsp white vinegar
105g egg whites
5g cornstarch

Tools:
Parchment paper
4 8oz ramekins or 1 quart soufflé dish or 1 9” cake pan
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Cheese grater/microplane

You can find ingredient information and tips for conversions on my conversion cheat-sheet page. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment!

Prep!

Preheat your oven to 400f, and place an oven rack on the lowest rung, leaving ample room on top for the soufflé. Take a baking sheet and place it in the lower rack of your oven.

Standard presentation in ramekins or a cake pan: Butter the sides (I use a butter wrapper for ease, but the traditional recipes would have you brush melted butter in an upwards motion) and then add grated parm, turning to coat all sides and letting the remainder fall to the bottom. Set the ramekins or cake pan aside, in a cool place, so the butter doesn’t melt while you prepare the soufflé.

If you are using a cake pan and want to do the same presentation as I did: Grab 2 pieces of parchment paper the length of a sheet tray. Crumple them up, unfurl them, and repeat this process 3 times. Unfurl and lay the pieces of parchment side-by-side in your cake pan, overlapping by about 2”. Push the paper into the bottom and sides of the pan first, and then fit it around the outside. Feel free to sprinkle the grated parm over the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Cheese Soufflé!

Start with the béchamel. Warm your milk (I microwaved mine for 45 seconds), set aside, near your stove. Take a small to medium-sized pot and add your butter and flour. Place it on the stove over medium heat and whisk constantly for about 90 seconds until the roux is bubbling away and you notice the mixture expanding. Pour ~1/3rd of the milk into the roux and quickly whisk to combine. It will bubble and thicken. Immediately add another ~1/3rd, whisk to combine, and get rid of any lumps. Once it starts bubbling, whisk in the final ~1/3rd. Whisk constantly until the roux returns to a boil.

Remove from the heat and pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Add your salt and any of your optional flavorings. Grate your cheese into the béchamel (I like using a microplane). Whisk to combine. Then crack in your 2 egg yolks (be sure to set the whites aside) and whisk to combine. Set aside somewhere cool.

Next, whip the egg whites. Add 105-110g of egg whites to a medium-sized bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, along with the vinegar. Grab your stand mixer or hand mixer and mix the eggs at the lowest setting for 20 seconds. Then go up a level and mix for another 20 seconds. Keep repeating until you have soft peaks, then begin to add in the cornstarch as you continue to increase the speed. Whip until you get stiff peaks – when you lift the beaters, they should hold a peak at the beginning before curving at the tip (I rather you slightly underwhip here than overwhip). Once you’ve reached this point, the egg whites are ready.

Take your béchamel base, and make sure it is no longer hot. Add ~1/4th of the whipped egg whites and gently whisk to combine. Then add the lightened bechamel to the rest of the whipped egg whites and gently fold to combine. Pour into your baking dish(es) of choice, set on a baking sheet, and transfer to the sheet tray on the lower rack in your oven to bake. Immediately turn the oven down to 375f if baking in a large dish (if baking in ramekins, keep the heat at 400f).

Baking times:
9” cake pan = 23-25 minutes
1 quart souffle dish = 28-30 minutes
4 8 oz ramekins = 20-22 minutes

While that bakes, prepare your cheese board accompaniments (if that’s how you plan to serve the soufflé). Again, I love apple slices, toasted baguette, saucisson, almonds, dates, and/or olives, but you can add whatever you fancy! If you want to serve it the way I did, just arrange all your cheese board items on one end of a large cutting board so that as soon as the cheese soufflé comes out of the oven, you can slide it on over to the other side. I also suggest serving the soufflé with a big spoon, individual plates, and knives so your guests can grab a scoop of the soufflé and pair it with their favorite accompaniments.

Once your timer goes off, remove from the oven, immediately serve alongside your ‘cheese board’, and enjoy! Reminder that any leftovers will be delicious! Just hold them in the fridge, and re-heat in a 350f oven. The soufflé will re-puff a bit and get nice and crispy edges.

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The full soufflé series:

More soufflé content:

Last year, I published a recipe for a yeasted/sourdough pancake baked in a big pan. It was my most popular recipe from last year, and it is indeed delicious. I still make it 1-2x a month, and have been trialing out fun variations on the recipe. I already published two versions this week, and today’s final recipe is for a French toast (pan)cake.

The big-pan pancake series:

There is one thing that’s been irking me about the big-pan pancake recipe: if you are just feeding 1 or 2 people, it makes too much. I had a handful of people ask last year about halving the recipe which is complicated because the recipe makes 2 pancakes, and calls for 3 eggs. So, I explored solutions and came up with keeping the quantities as is, but creating a way to repurpose the leftovers!

You can fry the pancakes for that morning’s breakfast (may I suggest making one of the variations: blueberry crumb or pineapple upside-down), and save a plain one for a French toast pancake the following morning.

Not only is this an ideal solution because it tackles that egg problem, but one batter will give you breakfast for two days in a row! Ask me what my ideal weekend breakfast plan is, and this is it.

This pancake recipe–because it is made from a yeasted/naturally leavened batter–falls somewhere between bread and a pancake (like a more tender and moist loaf). The slices of pancake are about 1.5” thick, making it a great candidate for a thick-cut style French toast, and while the crust does mean it takes longer to soak, I love the deep savory notes it brings to an otherwise sweet breakfast (without adding any extra chew/toughness that a baguette or boule style French toast has). Bonus points: I think the final slices of French toast are so cute.

One important note: The cooking technique for this pancake is slightly different than the other versions, so please do check out this recipe’s cooking method if you are also following a recipe for the blueberry crumb (pan)cake, or pineapple upside-down (pan)cake.

Another important note: This recipe requires 10+ hours of drying out the pancake, and you need to soak it overnight. Please plan accordingly!

Makes 6-10 slices

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Last year, I published a recipe for a yeasted/sourdough pancake baked in a big pan. It was my most popular recipe from last year, and it is indeed delicious. I still make it 1-2x a month, and have been trialing out fun variations on the recipe. I have three versions I’m publishing this week: today is a pineapple upside-down (pan)cake.

The rest of the big-pan pancake series:

Like yesterday’s pancake, this one is also just too good. On the day of shooting the recipe, I ate it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and as a late-night snack – I had absolutely zero interest in eating anything else. This version took a handful of trials, so it strays a fair bit from a classic pineapple upside-down cake and more into pancake territory, but maintains the delicious core components. Here, the (pan)cake is crispy and buttery on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside, and is served with caramelized pineapple on top and a pineapple-toffee sauce on the bottom.

Oddly, this pancake might be even better served at room temperature rather than hot. Once it’s cooled, the toffee sauce settles in as a caramelized crust on the bottom of the pancake, making it simply irresistible. I think it’s ideally served warm, just cool enough to add some whipped cream on top while keeping the pineapple and pancake crumb soft and tender, and the sauce gooey. While I have no favorite children from the big-pan pancake series, this is Théo’s favorite. Enjoy!

This recipe makes 3 8-8.5” pancakes, but there are ingredient quantities at the bottom of the recipe for 1 large version.

P.S. You could make 1 or 2 pineapple upside-down (pan)cakes, and fry up a plain version with the remaining batter (in 1 or 2 pancakes). Save the regular pancake(s) for tomorrow’s recipe, which is all about repurposing leftovers into something else delicious :)

P.P.S. Please note that if you are making the sourdough version, you have to prepare the pre-ferment the night before you make it! I recommend doing this for the yeasted version as well, but it can be made the day of, in a crunch.

P.P.P.S Very ripe pineapple will be far more fragrant and floral, but will seep some juices into the pancake and weigh it down a bit. A less ripe version will be less fragrant, but still delicious and a tad lighter on the pancake. Pick your pineapple based on what you’re optimizing for!

Makes 3 large pancakes (8-8.5” pan)

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This pancake is so great that I entered a pancake-induced food coma during testing. I simply can’t help myself in its presence, and I ate so much over the course of an afternoon that I had to lie down for an hour. Just like a crumb cake, the streusel is rippled throughout the center and sprinkled on top. It’s sweet, cinnamon-y, and has a touch of salt. Fairly unsweetened blueberries are then served as a compote on top, like a sweet-tart syrup soaking into each bite.

This pancake differs from a traditional crumb cake in that it’s less sweet and has some really savory and bread-y notes (it’s barely sweetened and has a yeasted/sourdough base). You also get a crispy, buttery outside and stewed berries for a bit more textural contrast.

The recipe below includes the pancake, the crumb, and the blueberry compote. You can either make 1 really big blueberry crumb pancake or 2 smaller ones. If you want to make 2 smaller pancakes with only 1 blueberry crumb version, you can find the quantity for halved ingredients at the bottom of the recipe.

P.S. If you make 1 regular pancake and 1 blueberry crumb version, you can save that regular pancake for the final recipe in this series, which will be all about repurposing those pancake leftovers into something else :)

P.P.S. Please note that if you are making the sourdough version, you have to prepare the pre-ferment the night before you make it! I recommend doing this for the yeasted version as well, but it can be made the day of, in a crunch.

Makes 1 giant pancake (10.5” pan) or 2 large pancakes (8.5” pan)

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Hello friends! I hope you had a lovely, cozy February! One quick update: moving forward, the Chef’s Kisses newsletter (aka my favorite food-adjacent moments from the month) will be for subscribers only (free and paid). I’ll be putting this one behind the paywall after a couple of days. To have access to future Chef’s Kisses newsletters, please do sign up as a free subscriber to receive them in your inbox.

This newsletter is coming to you from my cozy setup: on the couch under my giant Brooklinen blanket wearing what my husband calls my “fuzzy suit” (a fleece sweatsuit from the 2019 JW Anderson x Uniqlo collab) and my fuzzy socks. For more cozy end-of-winter vibes there’s lots more below:

Bite-Sized

• Citrus for breakfast brought a bit of brightness to these chilly mornings. Try my honey-ed kumquat recipe from my J.Crew collab.

• Maximizing coziness with cabbage: a giant slice in quiche, choux farci, cabbage salads, and more.

• This big blizzard called for a giant pot of cassoulet.

• My favorite bites from Soosanghan BBQ and Soup Dumpling Plus – can’t wait to go back to both.

• And some sweet cozy dishes from the month: Chocolate Mousse Cake + soufflés: Vanilla and Chocolate, Molten Hot Chocolate, and Coffee and Tea

A Little Citrus

Despite leaning into so much coziness below, there were some bright, citrusy moments to battle winter blues, thank you to J.Crew for inspiring and sponsoring this little bit of late winter sunshine.

I tried to start my mornings off with brightness by investing in a bulk package of Sumo citrus. I had it for breakfast along with my morning coffee and homemade almond milk. 10/10 would recommend.

Jules Tie Shirt paired with the Painter Pant and Sophie Ballet Flat for a very cute and very comfortable look.

If you’re looking for a more substantial citrus breakfast/lunch, here’s a honey-ed kumquat marmalade recipe thanks to J.Crew. It tastes like super-bright late-winter sunshine: it has a zing that is so bright it makes you want to squint, with sweetness and notes of early spring floral-ness to soften. The marmalade can be made in under an hour, meaning you can make it for breakfast that day, plus leftovers for future sunshine-y breakfasts. Théo and I have had it on a baguette with butter and a croissant, both picked up from my favorite NYC baguette/croissant baker (Théo said it was the ideal spread for a croissant because of the bitter-sweet duality balancing out the rich-buttery flake). I also think it would be delicious on a bostock, brushing the brioche with extra gooey, honeyed liquid before adding the frangipane and candied kumquats on top.

I had some for lunch as well, making a bright salad with chopped candied kumquats and leftover fresh ones. For a dressing, I added the marmalade juice, champagne vinegar, and Sumo Citrus Flavored Olive Oil from Brightland. I also sliced some beets, and some kale that had been dry-roasted in a pan with chili flakes and sesame. This was so good I made it twice this week.

Speaking of the Sumo Olive Oil, I ate it in many preparations at the Gem Home launch dinner. Tara Thomas had the fantastic idea to put it in an olive oil cake served with a bay leaf or tea mousse yum.

Cabbage

You’ve probably heard, but 2026 has been dubbed the year of the cabbage. Jokes aside, cabbage is indeed very delicious, and I love how easy it is to incorporate into meals. It holds up well when seared and roasted, sliced and sautéed, or stuck in a stew. Perfect for winter cooking.

While cabbage was routinely added to dinners in this manner, I’m highlighting dishes that really showcase cabbage as the star it is.

Cabbage + Crust:

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There are so many things one can flavor the custard with–and I have a list with some ideas back in my Pudding Baking Blocks–but here I developed recipes for coffee and tea, specifically matcha and Earl Grey (though the Earl Grey can be subbed for just about any loose-leaf/bagged tea). Each of these additions (espresso, loose-leaf/bagged tea, and matcha) has different methods for incorporation and recommended quantities, which I discuss below. They are all so lovely, and I personally love how the soufflé’s airiness plays with the floral/grassy notes of the teas.

I couldn’t resist baking these up in tea/coffee cups (if you would like to do the same, be sure they’re oven-safe), and, looking at them, I just had to top them off with ‘cream.’ So, I decided to serve them with vanilla crème anglaise. Hot soufflés with cold, creamy vanilla custard poured over are just so delicious - imagine a kind of vanilla-latte-ifying effect on the whole thing. With that being said, these would also be delicious with the affogato treatment (aka a scoop of ice cream).

Tip: When adding anglaise (or any sauce/ice cream you may want) to your soufflé, I suggest cutting a hole into the top with a knife or spoon and then pouring/scooping it in. This allows it to sink all the way through, and you can get both components in each bite.

P.S. If you would like to get creative and have questions about infusing the custard with another flavor, I’m here! Feel free to ask in the comments.

Makes 4 4oz or 3 6-7oz soufflés

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Because it’s very much still winter (with more snow predicted this weekend), a hot-chocolate–themed soufflé felt like the right move - slightly underbaked to give you set edges and a gooey center, like a molten cake. I started out making a version inspired by Mexican hot chocolate, with canela and a pinch of cayenne infused into the milk delicious. In subsequent rounds of testing I tried out orange peel, also delicious. It’s your hot chocolate soufflé so you have the freedom to play around with different infusions here (I talk a lot about infusions in my Pudding Baking Blocks series), not to mention adding extracts or essences (vanilla bean paste, peppermint, and orange blossom come to mind)!

Included in the recipe are directions for additions, marshmallow tips for the perfect toast, and baking times for a fully cooked soufflé and a molten soufflé.

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In the first soufflé-themed Baking Blocks, we tackled the proper technique for whipping egg whites for soufflés. Now it’s time to master another skill, so we can get even more creative. The first recipe in the series is for a Salzburger Nockerl made very simply with egg yolks folded into whipped whites, followed by a little starch. These soufflés, however, use a custard for their base. Not only does this change the structure from less marshmallowy and cake-like to more gooey and airy, but it also means we get to flavor the soufflé itself (instead of just relying on the sauces it’s served with).

Today’s recipe starts with two soufflé basics: chocolate and vanilla. Basic, yes, but so so delicious. The chocolate is rich while staying oh-so-light and melting on the tongue. The vanilla is subtler, but just as delicious. You can also easily swap some of the vanilla extract for another extract or essence for additional flavoring (almond, pandan, orange blossom, rose, etc.). In next week’s Bake and Create, we will be adding infusions – stay tuned!

For today, all that’s required is techniques from my pudding series (i.e., custard making) and from Baking Blocks: Soufflé Pt. 1 (i.e., whipping egg whites) to make 2 delicious soufflés. I loved plating them up in dessert ramekins, which I sourced via eBay and Etsy. If you like this style, try searching “glass dessert ramekins” and look out for ones made by oven-safe glass brands or with oven-safe labeling.

P.S. Sorry this recipe is coming a day late! Getting the vanilla recipe just right took some extra time, but we sooooo got there (see video below).

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Makes 4 4.5oz soufflés or 3 7oz soufflés (vanilla quantity may be a tiny bit short for the 7oz soufflés…)

Vanilla Soufflé:
Butter and sugar for the ramekins
Custard:
115g milk
11g cornstarch
3g all-purpose flour
10g sugar
35g egg yolks (from approximately 2 large eggs)
6g butter
15g vanilla extract
Egg whites:
50g white sugar or superfine sugar
120g egg whites (from approximately 4 large eggs) room temperature
1/4tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2tsp white vinegar

Chocolate Soufflé:
Butter and sugar for the ramekins
Custard:
175g milk
17g cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
5g cornstarch
35g egg yolks (from approximately 2 large eggs)
60g dark chocolate (I used 64% cocoa)
Egg whites:
40g white sugar or superfine sugar
120g egg whites (from approximately 4 large eggs) room temperature
1/4tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
1/2tsp white vinegar

Tools:
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Ramekins for baking (mine were 4.5 oz and 7 oz – you could also bake the soufflé in a singular large ramekin, but it will change the bake temperature and time)

You can find ingredient information and tips for conversions on my conversion cheat-sheet page. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment!

Prep!

Preheat your oven to 400f, and place an oven rack on the lowest rung, leaving ample room on top for the soufflé. Take a baking sheet and place it in the lower rack of your oven. Grab a small baking tray or cake pan (8x8 or 9x9), fill it with 3 cups of water, and place it at the bottom of your oven. This will add steam, leading to a more even cook on the soufflé.

Take your ramekins and butter the sides (I use a butter wrapper). Then add some sugar and turn the cup to coat all of the sides. Tap out any excess. Set the ramekins aside in a cool place so the butter doesn’t melt while you prepare the soufflé.

Thickened Base/Custard!

If you are making the vanilla version:

Place your milk in a medium-sized pot and set it over medium heat on the stove. While that warms, grab a medium-sized mixing bowl and add your cornstarch, flour, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Then add in your egg yolks (reserve the whites for the soufflé) and whisk again to thoroughly combine.

If you are making the chocolate version:

Place your milk in a medium-sized pot and set it over medium heat on the stove. While that warms, grab a medium-sized mixing bowl and add your cornstarch and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine. Then add in your egg yolks (reserve the whites for the soufflé) and a little bit (approximately 2 tbsp) of the warming milk. Whisk again to thoroughly combine.

At this point, the milk should be steaming. Slowly pour in a stream of milk while whisking the yolks to temper. Once you’ve added about 2/3rds of the milk, pour the egg/milk mixture back into the pot, and use a soft spatula to add every last bit of egg mixture from the bowl. Set the bowl aside and return to the stove. Continue whisking over medium heat until it thickens into a homogenous paste.

Remove from the heat and scoop the cooked custard back into the bowl that we whisked our egg yolks in.
If you are making the vanilla version, add your butter and vanilla extract.
If you are making the chocolate version, add your chocolate.
Whisk to melt and combine. Cover the top of the custard directly with cling film and set aside somewhere cool while you prepare the egg whites.

Egg Whites!

Grab the sugar for the soufflé and blend in a blender or spice grinder until super fine (skip this step if you are using superfine sugar). In a large mixing bowl, add the egg whites, salt, and vinegar. Grab your stand mixer and mix the eggs at the lowest setting for 30 seconds. Then go up a level and mix for another 30 seconds. Then up another level and mix for another 30 seconds. At this point, the eggs should be very frothy. Add about 1/5th of the sugar and slowly increase the speed of your hand mixer. Continue to add the rest of the sugar about 1/5th at a time while continuing to increase the speed about every 30 seconds). Slowly increasing the speed like this leads to a more stable egg white. Your soufflé will thus be stronger when you go to fold in your custard.

Once you are done adding all of your sugar, you should be on the highest setting of your hand mixer, and you should have stiff peaks (you may need to mix for a bit longer than the last 30 seconds of whipping the last 1/5th of sugar). The egg whites are properly whipped when they are shiny, have tiny and uniform air bubbles, and there is a sudden shift in texture. It should seem thicker/stiffer, and when you lift the beaters out, it should hold a tall peak (curving just at the tip) and not slump over immediately. Once you’ve noticed all of this, your egg whites are done. Do not continue, or you risk over-whipping them. When over-whipped, they will lose their shine, becoming cloudy and cottage cheese-like. Please refer to the video in Baking Blocks Pt. 1 for a visual of properly whipped whites!

Assembly + Bake!

Remove the cling film from the custard and check the temperature, it’s totally fine if it’s a little warm, but should no longer be hot. Using those same beaters with a little meringue left on them, mix the custard. Mix the custard with the beaters until it has smoothed out – this is very important (and easier than using a whisk to smooth).

Add 1/4th of the whipped egg whites to the custard, and gently whisk to incorporate and loosen it further. Then add the loosened/lightened custard to the bowl of the remaining egg whites and fold until combined. You may notice some lumps of custard; don’t worry about getting these out, you won’t notice them in the final product, and you need to keep the air!

Place your butter and sugar-lined ramekins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently scoop the soufflé batter into each ramekin, up to the rim. Level the top with an offset spatula. Run your thumb along the top inner rim of the ramekin, creating a little trench to help release the soufflé (otherwise it will stick and lead to an uneven top). See the video above for a visual!

Transfer to the oven, placing the baking sheet of ramekins on top of the pre-warmed baking sheet (this helps with rise). Close the oven door and decrease the oven to 375f. Set a timer for 12-13 minutes for 4-5 oz ramekins or 15-16 minutes for 6-7 oz ramekins.

While the soufflés bake, this is a great time to clean your dishes and prepare your serving plates.

When done, the soufflés will have risen significantly with a set and puffed outer top ring. Transfer the soufflés to your serving plates and enjoy immediately! While this soufflé is less temperamental than the Salzburger, it is still best enjoyed straight out of the oven.

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Check out the whole soufflé series:

Chocolate mousse cakes are a long-time favorite of mine. The cake consists of two delicious chocolate desserts: dense chocolate cake/torte on the bottom and light chocolate mousse on top, but it is so much greater than the sum of its parts. While the flavor focuses squarely on chocolate, the two forms make for a long-lasting, nuanced, and intensely chocolatey mouthful. The two components bloom on the tongue at different rates, releasing so many layers of rich, yet varied, chocolatey aromas. I always end up eating far more of this than I would if it were solely a cake or mousse.

I have always wondered one thing, though: why don’t chocolate mousse cake recipes just use one batter? I envisioned baking a dense chocolate mousse layer for the bottom and spreading a lightened, unbaked layer on top. Valentine’s Day seemed like the right excuse to test this hypothesis, and it turns out that you can absolutely make your chocolate mousse cake this way. The results are so delicious and indulgent: simply saintly or devilishly good, depending on your perspective ;)

Not only does this version require less cleaning, but there are only 7 ingredients and the whole thing takes just under 1 hour of active time (but please do plan accordingly for an overnight rest).

I certainly think a picture says a thousand words here, so I won’t say much else to try and convince you to make this dessert. I’ll just leave you with this:

P.S. The stencil for decorating this cake is in the recipe below if you would like to use it.

P.P.S. You can easily cut this cake recipe in half if you’re looking for 8-10 slices (it’s also super rich, so you may decide to cut down for that reason). The quantities for a halved cake are at the bottom of the page (I did a half batch for one of my trials, and it turned out just the same).

P.P.P.S. You can bake this cake in a variety of pan sizes, but if you are using one smaller than what’s listed below, make the half-quantity version at the bottom of this recipe.

P.P.P.P.S. This cake lasts for multiple days in the fridge! and forever in the freezer :)

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This trip to Paris wasn’t planned. Every time Théo brought up going to Paris on vacation, I insisted we needed to save money, work more, etc. But then, the day before Christmas, he got very sick. It was clear to me that he had worked too hard and pushed himself to his limit, coming down with a 104f fever after his final day of work before our planned Christmas staycation.

So, once he awoke from his fever dreams, I admitted I had been a Christmas Scrooge and that we should, in fact, go to Paris in January and see his grandparents. It soon snowballed into a longer vacation – I’m sending this email out from Tokyo (and will have more on this leg of the trip for you next month)!

Being in Paris was lovely. In this Chef’s Kisses newsletter (my favorite food-adjacent moments from the month), I want to share with you all the delicious bites we had, the meals we ate, the shops we stopped in, and other favorite activities. Highlights include dishes that warmed me from the inside out, my favorite croissants (based on years of research), and nearly a dozen brioches.

If you’re looking for more Paris recommendations (older tried-and-true spots), you can find them on the AMIGO app. Use the code PARISGO to skip the wait!

And–friendly reminder–if you would like access to the entire Playing With Food archive for a month, you can unlock it by getting involved with food access in your community. See more details here.

Paris – January 2026

Dining:

When Théo and I go back to Paris, there is one place we always return to, Urfa Durum. It was our first bite of this trip, and Théo remarked that this place really “hits the spot every time” – I can’t think of a better 5-word description.

L’assiette has about 50 wines to choose from, and 12 food menu items. Despite the 12 options, I come here for one thing: a 1kg pot of cassoulet (perfect for splitting with another person). The cassoulet is crispy on top and creamy underneath, made simply with beans and many pork products (two kinds of sausage, lardons, and multiple cuts of braising pork) working in beautiful harmony. It’s the perfect meal for a chilly evening.

Another chilly evening recommendation: Le Quincy. Their cassoulet also looks fantastic (and is similarly giant), but I opted instead for one of my favorite French dishes, the choux farci – tons of cabbage roasted with delicious porky filling. It was delicious indeed, as was the scallop starter. This restaurant doesn’t just have good food, it also has great vibes. Amazing linens, a teensy tiny space, and cart service for the menu items. While a part of me wants to keep this spot all to myself (worrying already about future reservations), I cannot gatekeep it – enjoy!

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At Elbi, the falafel scotch egg is a stroke of genius, the pigeon is a truly fantastic dish, and the hawawchi is pure pleasure.

Cafe Courtial makes a delicious crepe. It’s very intense: tangy buckwheat batter, fried in butter, and topped with a mélange of delicious ingredients. It always reminds me of a salad with copious amounts of dressed greens on top and chunks of different ingredients throughout. Each bite is deliciously different than the one before.

La Petite Chaise is (according to them) the oldest restaurant in Paris, and it just got a lovely makeover. The food is delicious too – I appreciated the number of vegetables on the menu, and the sauce work on all of the dishes we tried was fantastic.

Croissants:

If you ask me what the best croissant in Paris is, I have recently been quipping that it’s whichever one is still hot from the oven... I say that because we all prioritize different things in a croissant. For me, it’s the feuilletage flakiness (I do indeed want it all over my shirt), butteriness, and savoriness. One thing that we can all agree on, however, is that a fresh and hot croissant is better than a cold one.

The warmth of a croissant really makes a huge difference, as the butter goes from solid → liquid, making the whole thing taste more buttery, have a better mouth feel, and flake better. Unfortunately, it’s hard to organically find a warm croissant in Paris, but it’s always worth asking to see if a bakery can warm it for you (I know at several of The French Bastards locations, they will warm the pastries if they can).

My real answer on the best croissant in Paris is that many years ago, I went in search of it, trying around 26 boulangeries and three or more viennoiseries at each. But over the years, things changed, and new shops opened! Since then, new go-tos have emerged, but I’m happy to report that many of my favorites from the last two years remain. SAS Boulangerie Moderne provided the croissants for my civil ceremony breakfast with family – and I still love them. They really have lovely flaky and tender layers that fall apart with a light buttery flavor. Boulangerie Polka is another favorite. They clearly use high-quality butter, which soaks into the dough as it bakes, tinging it with a nice butter-yellow color. I also love the flavor of their flour, plus the light-airiness and slight chew in their croissant.

I also have two new favorite pain au chocolat to add to the list (which I am thrilled about). La Panifacture is a new spot that, is just a few minutes away from Boulangerie Polka. Their chocolate croissant is quite airy and lightly buttery, with the chocolate dispersed on either edge, leading to evenly distributed bites.

If you would like to go all in on chocolate, then I would suggest the new Boulangerie Michalak, which is 3x the price and has about 5x the chocolate. While it is light on the butter, it more than makes up for it in the amount of chocolate; it truly feels like a chocolate bar melted inside a croissant. If you’re wondering what that is like, it is indeed delicious. Pro tip: a pain au chocolat needs to be warmed even more than a plain croissant. You really want that soft chocolate experience. If you cannot warm it at the bakeries, I insist on waiting till you’re back at your hotel/rental/apartment before re-warming and enjoying.

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Brioche:

Photos by Louis Westerloppe for Madewell

• Aux Merveilleux de Fred makes a cramique au chocolat, which is not only huge, but also deliciously warm 3x a day: early morning, 12-12:30pm, and in the evening.

• For the chocolatiest babka I’ve ever tried, head to Mamiche.

• Babka Zana makes delicious babka rolls (and loaves if you’re taking stuff home): cannelle, chocolat noisette, praliné amande. Everyone in the family has a different favorite; the in-laws love the almond.

• Urban Bakery makes a brioche I’ve never seen before: aux amandes. It’s fluffy with a light and delightfully floral/sweet almond top (that may or may not include a frangipane – I can’t quite tell).

• Le Pain Retrouvé makes a flaky brioche feuilletée. Be sure to arrive early to enjoy it warm.

• The brioche feuilletée at Michalak looks too big, but I promise it is so airy and light that with the help of just 1-2 others, it will be devoured quickly. Plus, their delicious brioche vendéenne perfumed with orange blossom is lovely and topped with crunchy sugar for added texture.

Shopping:

We usually hope our trips to Paris to overlap with les soldes, the designated month-ish 2x a year when things are allowed to go on sale in France. One of those times is now. There are three stores we always go to: the outlet mall, Printemps, and Leclaireur. I suggest you do the same.

Tons of vintage stores in the 3eme got on my radar recently. I would recommend starting with The Statement and working your way up the street, stopping in every store you see until you reach EREM. There are many more in the neighborhood that I didn’t set aside enough time to visit, but just do a quick browse for vintage stores on your map when you get there.

I also stopped by two new-to-me-stores that are next door to each other: Maison Ola and Rubirosa’s. Both shops are really lovely and sell beautiful items. If you’re looking for some colorful button-downs, pajamas, slippers, or hats, please do enjoy!

Museums:

• Foundation Louis Vuitton’s Gerhard Richter exhibition was so great that after making my husband go back for a second time so I could see it, I became jealous that he got to see it twice.

• Mickalene Thomas’ exhibition All About Love is incredible got me to take my first trip to Grand Palais.

• We always stop by Bourse de Commerce, and always recommend it.

• A tip for the Louvre: go to the Dutch Masters wing after you see the greatest hits rooms, they are always nearly empty, and there are really great works that we love to see again and again. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Jacques-Louis David exhibit and learned so much.

For more Paris recommendations, including my favorite choux farci, check out my list on the AMIGO app. Use the code PARISGO to skip the wait!

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More Paris/France Content:

Back in my November Chef’s Kisses newsletter, I wrote about some dishes I made that take a fun twist on soufflé. This is where the soufflé series all began (see recent recipes under Baking Blocks: Soufflé pt. 1 and Bake and Create: Soufflé Île Flottante). One of my favorite recipes from that November was a pancake soufflé inspired by Genevieve Yam’s genius recipe.

When testing Salzburger Nockerl soufflé recipes earlier this month for Baking Blocks: Soufflé Pt. 1, I realized how similar the Salzburger soufflé formula was to Yam’s soufflé pancake: unlike the soufflé recipes coming later in the series, neither of these includes custard folded into the egg whites. Instead, egg whites are whipped with sugar, egg yolks and dry ingredients are folded in, and then the whole thing is baked (Yam’s soufflé pancake has milk and a bit more dry ingredients). As these soufflés both have no custard, and a little more dry ingredients for stability, the texture and taste are a bit more sponge cake-like than their custardy cousins.

With that in mind, I started to think of other pancake-soufflé-crossover-dishes I could make with my base recipe from Baking Blocks, and a soufflé suzette immediately came to mind.

A crêpe suzette is a crêpe that’s soaked in a deliciously buttery-sugary-orange-y sauce and finished with a flambé in Grand Marnier or Cointreau (maybe a little cognac too). It’s incredibly reminiscent of the most arguably fun soufflé of them all (if you love a flambé like me): the Grand Marnier soufflé.

Here, the soufflé suzette starts with the same soufflé base we’ve tackled in Baking Blocks. It then gets baked over said buttery-sugary-orange-y sauce, and flambéed once out of the oven.

In this combo of the two desserts (Grand Marnier soufflé and crêpe suzette), the soufflé base acts like a sponge, soaking in the orange sauce at the bottom as it cools. While the flavors of the soufflé are just like the crêpe dish, it’s extra light and fluffy. The Grand Marnier is definitely present in the dish, but not overwhelming, just like in a Grand Marnier soufflé. All in all, a very delicious dessert – cheers!

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Île flottante is a dessert consisting of poached (or lightly baked) meringue swimming in a sea of crème anglaise with a little bit of crunchy caramel that slowly melts into the anglaise – delicious. This soufflé recipe being so similar to meringue in taste and texture, makes it a delicious replacement for the meringue traditionally used in the dish. The final result tastes quite similar to the original, just a bit less sweet and a bit more toasty.

The baking method for the soufflé here is only slightly different than last weeks recipe, otherwise the formula remains exactly the same - just paired with different sauces. Which leads me to wonder - what would you pair the soufflé with? Let me know in the comments, and please stay tuned for another fun Bake and Create featuring soufflés next week.

Makes 3 islands (or 2 larger islands)

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A Salzburger Nockerl is a simple soufflé made with whipped egg whites and sugar, folded in egg yolks, and a couple of dry ingredients. It is added to a baking dish over a sweet-tart jam or compote (lingonberry, cranberry, raspberry, etc.) and baked quickly in a hot oven (the compote can also be served on the side). Once baked, it gets rushed to the table (it is a very delicate soufflé), quite possibly with sides of crème anglaise or whipped cream, topped with powdered sugar, and dug into it quickly!

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Salzburger Nockerl is the first recipe in the soufflé series, as it requires the fewest components. There is no need to make a custard base for stability or flavor. This soufflé is lifted by egg whites, allowing you to focus your attention on properly whipping them (details in the recipe) – a skill that is oh so important in pastry. Once you know the tips and tricks of whipping up egg whites, you can apply this technique to many other dishes (think chocolate tortes, sponge cakes, chiffon cakes, meringues, pavlovas, and pancakes).

All future soufflé recipes in this series will require a custard that 1. helps with stability, and 2. allows you to introduce flavor. But this recipe does not require custard, and it is lovely in spite of it! Despite the gentle flavor in the Salzburger Nockerl souffle, the texture is heavenly, supremely light, bouncy, and marshmallowy (unlike its custard-based cousins).

If you would like to add some flavor to this soufflé, you can add a tiny bit of an extract or essence, or switch up the fruit in the compote. Enjoy!

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Makes 1 medium-sized soufflé in a 20 oz gratin dish
(This is a lovely amount for 2 people to share, or for a lighter dessert between 3 people, each person getting ~1 mound)

Soufflé:

Butter + sugar for the gratin dish
50g white sugar blended or superfine
105g egg whites (from 3 large eggs)
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp white vinegar
35g egg yolks (from 2 large eggs)
5g vanilla extract (or another extract/essence that suits your tastes - i.e. almond, pandan, orange blossom, rose, etc.)
6g cornstarch
6g flour (or cornstarch if GF)

Compote:
150g berries (choose from: raspberries, blackberries, red currants, sour cherries, cranberries, or lingonberries + I highly recommend using frozen fruit if it’s out of season; it’s also more affordable and better for the environment)
25g white sugar (30g if using lingonberries)
5g lemon juice optional
5g liqueur of choice or vanilla extract optional

Tools:
1 20 oz oval oven-safe gratin dish (this is the dish I use) – you could also bake the soufflé in a larger dish, but it won’t have the same effect
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer

You can find ingredient information and tips for conversions on my conversion cheat-sheet page. If you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment!

Preheat + Compote!

Preheat your oven to 400f and place an oven rack on the lowest rung, leaving ample room for the mounds of soufflé. Then take a baking sheet lined with parchment, and place it on the lower rack. Fill a small baking tray or cake pan (8x8 or 9x9) with 2 cups of water and place it at the very bottom of your oven. This will add steam, leading to a more evenly cooked soufflé.

Place your (frozen) fruit into a saucepan along with the sugar and optional lemon juice. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the fruit down, being sure to give it a bit of a mash every once in a while. Cook until the fruit has thickened (you want little to none remaining juice) and the mixture looks glossy, about 5-7 minutes (likely less time for cranberries). Remove from the heat and add in your optional liqueur or vanilla extract. Set your compote aside while you prepare the soufflé dish.

Soufflé!

Take your oven-safe gratin dish and rub the sides with a small amount of butter (you just want a thin layer) and dust some sugar on top of it (this will give the soufflé something to cling to). Pour your prepared compote into the bottom of the dish and set aside.

Grab the sugar for the soufflé and blend it in a blender or spice grinder until superfine (skip this step if you are already using superfine sugar). In a large mixing bowl, add your egg whites. Keep the yolks in their shell for now. Set the egg whites aside. Grab a small/medium-sized bowl, weigh out your egg yolks, and set them aside.

In the large bowl with the egg whites, add your salt and vinegar, and then grab your hand mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment – I prefer a hand mixer though). Mix the egg whites on the lowest level for 30 seconds. Then, go up a level and mix for an additional 30 seconds. Then up another level for another 30 seconds of mixing.

At this point, the egg whitess should be very frothy. Add in ~1/5th of the sugar and slowly increase the speed of your hand mixer. Keep adding 1/5th until you’ve added all the sugar. Slowly increasing the speed like this leads to a more stable egg white. Stable = your soufflé will be stronger when you fold in your egg yolks and flour.

Once you are done adding all of your sugar, you should be on the highest setting of your hand mixer, and you should have stiff peaks (you will need to mix the last 1/5th of sugar for a bit longer). The egg whites are properly whipped when they are shiny, have tiny and uniform air bubbles, and there is a sudden shift in texture. The mixture should seem thicker/stiffer, and when you lift the beaters out, it should hold a tall peak and not slump over immediately (curving just at the tip). Once you’ve noticed all of these indicators, your egg whites are done. Do not continue, or you risk over-whipping them. When over-whipped, the mixture will lose its shine, and become cottage cheese-like. Please refer to the video above for a visual of properly whipped whites!

Grab your egg yolks and add your extract of choice (remember to choose only one, either vanilla or something else; you don’t want more than 5g of liquid). Whisk together to loosen and thin out the egg yolks. Pour the egg yolks into the egg whites, and fold to combine with a soft spatula (or just whisk gently to combine). Then, grab a small sifter and sift in your cornstarch and flour. Fold again until just combined, as you want to retain as much air in the egg whites as possible.

Grab your prepared baking dish and a soft spatula. Create 3 large mountains of soufflé by carefully plopping the mixture into piles (3 is the classic way to bake this, but I have also seen videos of it piled high into a singular mountain). To get evenly peaked ‘mountains,’ you can place the mixture on a kitchen scale and scoop out about 55g per mountain peak before plopping them down. There will be a little extra – I like to add it to the middle mountain for extra height.

Bake + Serve!

Quickly move the soufflé to the baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and shut the door. Lower the temperature to 375f and bake for 15 minutes without opening the oven door. Be patient!

While you wait, you can wash your dishes and gather your plates and spoons. Set the table and–if you’d like–put out some crème anglaise or whipped cream for serving. Place some powdered sugar in a sifter.

Once the 15 minutes are up, the soufflé will be done. Remove it from the oven, give it a quick dusting of powdered sugar (to resemble soft, snow-capped mountains), and serve it immediately. Dig in and enjoy!

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I am deeply embarrassed to admit this, but I might be a birthday diva – most of my birthdays have included tears. In my younger years I blamed it on having an early January birthday: no one in town to celebrate with and leftover stocking stuffers for gifts. As an adult though I think it’s just a case of the common birthday blues - feeling like I hadn’t grown much at all in the year prior. But - I’m happy to say that this year, making these cakes, I realized how far I have come.

My previous birthday cake recipes (Brooklyn blackout and pistachio raspberry chiffon), while delicious, require some serious skill and effort. This year, I challenged myself to create a cake that is easier (no tears caused by any failure), requires minimal decoration skills, comes together in under 90 minutes of active time, and can be made in a single day. Not only did I meet those challenges, but I exceeded them (65 minutes of active time only), and along the way, I learned not to let perfection be the enemy of good enough (something Théo is constantly trying to remind me of).

The cake is delicious as well. The recipe starts with a very light, moist, and incredibly tender vanilla sponge base that might just be my new favorite go-to. It requires some technique and a couple of secret tips (including a few additions so it tastes more like birthday cake and less like a standard roulade sponge), but those are well explained below. Since the roulade cake itself is the decoration here (practically no decorating skills required here, just gentle hands), I decided to dye a couple of trials with my two favorite colors, blue and pink, and add sprinkles to the other to make it a funfetti cake. This is where I hit my first obstacle: the egg yolks skew the base color yellow, and thus, I got more of a cookie monster blue than sky blue, and mortadella pink over sunset pink. However, in order to really fix this–besides some color matching which I’ve laid out in the recipe–I would have had to scrap the sponge entirely, and it is too good not to share. So, we will call the colors teal and coral – perfection will not be the enemy of good enough!!

There are 3 frosting options that I am very proud of. Roulade cakes are often assembled with whipped cream and fruit jam; the lightness beautifully complements the sponge and means the whole cake isn’t too sweet, but because this version needed to stand vertically, I had to make a thicker cream and forgo the jam, which can be slippery. That’s when I remembered a childhood favorite, strawberry frosting, and decided to turn that into whipped cream frosting for the cake. Delicious. I then had some fun making a banana version, and it came out truly bananas – an instant top 5 frosting flavor for me. I cannot wait to make it again. You can sub in other fruits too (happy to discuss in the comments), and there is also a chocolate version that reminds me of a lighter brownie batter. These frostings are so quick to come together, so flavorful, not too sweet, light and fluffy, stable, and pipe like a dream.

For the assembly and decoration, you just cut strips and roll the whole thing up. I rolled mine up into an oval since I’m going through an oval cake phase, but you can roll yours round. Here’s the thing, though: there’s going to be a seam in the back…and the seam is not cute. This cake is delicious, requires nearly no decorating abilities (no turntable or freezing necessary), and gets assembled in 15 minutes. For those trade-offs, I’m okay with a not-so-cute seam in the back.

So, please find below my birthday cake recipe for 2026. It’s quick, easy to decorate, bursting with delicious birthday cake flavor (vanilla and/or funfetti with a a boxed cake vibe to it), is so soft, and has three whipped frosting options: strawberry, banana, and chocolate. Wishing you all an early happy birthday in 2026!

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