This light and airy Earl Grey Soufflé is infused with fragrant bergamot tea and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. It serves two, making it the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day, date night, or any other occasion.
This Earl Grey Soufflé can look intimidating at first if you’ve never made this kind of dessert before, but it’s actually way easier than you might think. Once you have the basics and technique down, you’ll be whipping up soufflés in no time and with ease.
This fluffy sweet treat is a great Valentine’s Day dessert, but can be made for any occasion. We did a classic dusting of powdered sugar on top, but a vanilla or chocolate crème anglaise would definitely elevate it even more.
If you love all things Earl Grey, be sure to also make our Earl Grey Hot Chocolate!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Find the full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Whole Milk: This works with the eggs to create a base for the Earl Grey soufflé. Whole milk works best because of the fat content.
- Earl Grey Tea: We use tea bags but you can use 2 tsp of loose leaf tea.
- All-Purpose Flour: This helps to form a roux for the soufflé.
- Large Eggs: Use cold eggs as those are easier to separate.
- Granulated Sugar: You’ll need a bit extra for coating the insides of the ramekins.
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll just need a tablespoon for the batter and about ½ tbsp for brushing the insides of the ramekins.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Paste works better for flavor here, but you can use extract in its place.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
1. Prep the ramekins. Brush the insides of the ramekins with softened butter, going in upwards strokes along the sides. Add a small spoonful of sugar and tilt the ramekins to fully coat the insides, tapping out any excess.
2. Infuse the milk. Tear open the Earl Grey tea bags and add the leaves to a small saucepan with the milk. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
3. Prep the egg yolk mixture. Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two separate bowls. Whisk together the egg yolks, flour, and a bit of sugar until smooth and lump-free.
4. Cook the yolk mixture. Strain the tea over the yolk mixture and whisk to combine. Add it back to the saucepan and whisk constantly on medium-low until thick like pudding. Then mix in the butter and vanilla paste.
5. Chill the roux. Transfer the yolk mixture/roux to a large bowl and place a layer of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes to cool it down.
6. Whip the egg whites. Use a handheld electric mixer to beat the egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form.
7. Combine the roux and the egg whites. Use the beaters to whip the roux for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Then in three additions, fold the egg whites into the roux until well combined. The batter should be lump-free, but be careful not to deflate it.
8. Bake.Transfer the batter to the prepared ramekins and level out the top. Use your thumb to create a groove around the edges of the batter. Clean the edges then place on a small baking sheet. Bake until the edges are set and the soufflés are tall and slightly wobbly.
Expert Tips
- Make sure your oven is correctly calibrated. We always recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure that you’re baking at the right temperature. If the tops of the soufflés are significantly browned around the edges (a little browning is ok), this is a sign that your oven is too hot.
- Use the same saucepan for steeping the tea and cooking the yolk mixture. Just give it a quick rinse before cooking the yolks and wipe out any flecks of tea with a wet paper towel. It’s ok if there’s a small amount left in the pan. This helps to minimize cleanup.
- Brush the insides of your ramekins in upward strokes. Use softened (not melted) butter to brush the bottoms then go in upward strokes along the sides with a pastry brush. This helps the soufflé rise more evenly.
- Fully coat the ramekins. Make sure the insides are fully coated with butter and sugar. Again, this will help the soufflés rise evenly and will prevent it from sticking to the ramekin itself, which could hinder their rise.
FAQ
This is completely natural for soufflés. As the egg whites in them cool, the air bubbles shrink, causing your soufflé to lose a bit of its height.
A few things could have caused a short soufflé. The first could be that the egg whites were not beaten enough. You want to ensure that you’re beating them to stiff peaks (see above picture in post). Be careful not to overdo it though. Overbeating causes lumpy egg whites that don’t incorporate well into the batter. The second thing could be that the ramekins were not coated properly. The coating of softened butter and sugar helps to create a barrier between the batter and ramekin, allowing the soufflé to rise without sticking to the dish. Thirdly, it’s important that the soufflés immediately go into the oven. If they sit out for too long before baking, the air bubbles in the batter shrink, resulting in a short, deflated soufflé.
If you made this Earl Grey Soufflé recipe, please let us know by leaving a star rating and review down below. We’d love to hear from you!
📖 Recipe
Earl Grey Soufflé
Equipment
- Pastry Brush
- 2 6-oz Ramekins
- Small Baking Sheet
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 Earl Grey tea bags
- ½ cup (125 ml) whole milk
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs cold
- 2 tsp + 2 tbsp granulated sugar divided, plus more for coating
- 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter softened, plus more for brushing
- ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prep two 6-oz ramekins by brushing the insides with butter. Brush in upward strokes along the sides. Coat the insides with granulated sugar, turning and tapping out any excess. Make sure everything is well coated then set aside.
- Tear open the tea bags and add the leaves to a small saucepan with the milk. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil while stirring frequently.
- Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes to steep and cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, separate the eggs by placing the egg whites and egg yolks into two separate small mixing bowls. Be careful not to get any of the yolks inside the egg whites. Set the whites aside at room temperature.
- To the egg yolks, add the flour and 2 tsp of granulated sugar. Whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl of mixed yolks and strain the Earl Grey milk over top, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into a small saucepan over medium-low heat*. Whisk fast and constantly until thick like pudding, 3-4 minutes. Be sure to whisk along the edges too.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter until fully incorporated then mix in the vanilla paste.
- Place the roux/cooked yolk mixture in a large bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- When the roux is almost done chilling, use a handheld electric mixer to beat the egg whites on low speed while gradually adding 2 tbsp of granulated sugar. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until stiff, shiny peaks form.
- Remove the roux from the fridge and use the same beaters to mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy. It's ok if the beaters have a bit of egg white on them.
- In three additions, gently fold the egg whites into the roux until a well combined fluffy batter forms. Make sure there are no lumps but be careful not to deflate the batter.
- Separate the batter into the prepared ramekins and level out the tops. Go around the edges with your thumb to create a groove around the batter then wipe the edges clean.
- Place the ramekins on a small baking sheet and bake for 18-20 minutes until the soufflés are tall, set on the edges, and slightly wobbly.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use the same saucepan you used for the tea to cook the yolk mixture. Give it a quick rinse and wipe out any tea leaves with a wet paper towel. It’s ok if there’s a few flecks of tea left in the saucepan.
- Feel free to use 2 tsp of loose leaf tea in place of the tea bags.
Leave a Comment