Mother's Day Soufflé

My brother always gives Mom breakfast in bed and every year it's an omelet. Every year I try and hope to make some French dessert but I never seem to get around to doing it so I end up drawing a stupid looking card, which to her is acceptable.

This year, though, now with lots of experience from my last spring break, I decided to make her and Dad soufflés along with breakfast. To my surprise it was really easy... as easy as just baking chocolate mousse. So, while that's chocolate soufflé, I decided to make her vanilla soufflé with the limited ingredients we had, and after looking at recipes from all over, here's a basic one I find incredibly easy and satisfying that I'd like to share!

Serves 5 people

• 1.5 cup milk
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 0.25 cup all purpose flour
• 4 eggs (separated)*
• 1-3 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp butter

 *Large eggs would be best so as to get more egg white to whip. It's the same rule with chocolate mousse, the more whipped egg whites, the better... can I call that the French cooking paradigm?

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix 1/3 of the milk, 2 tbsp sugar and the flour. As it thickens, pour in the remaining milk and continue stirring until blended. Take off heat.
2. Pour in egg yolks, butter and vanilla and mix so it's blended. Set aside
3. Whip egg whites to soft peaks, add sugar, then continue whipping to stiffer peaks.
4. Fold in whipped egg whites to the mixture until they are evenly blended.
5. Pour into buttered and sugared serving cups or ramekins.
6. Bake at 350°F at for about 15-20 min. I really don't know. I would suggest keeping an eye on it after 15 min. to determine for yourself when to stop baking because they rise and it gets a little crazy.

Dust with powdered sugar to finished this off! I also poured in some chocolate sauce just before serving, which is just

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 0.5 cup milk
• 0.5 oz. bittersweet/semisweet baking chocolate

in a saucepan over low/med heat until blended. This can be kept in the refrigerator but to reheat, heat it double boiler style. The soufflés should be eaten fresh out of the oven, though...

Happy baking!