Pear Brandy Souffle (Soufflé Aux Poires Williams) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 ripe pears (about 1-1/2 lbs total weight)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons pear brandy
8 egg whites
3 tablespoons sugar
For the pastry cream
3/4 cup whole milk
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
confectioners' sugar

Preparation

For the pastry cream: Scald the milk. Beat the egg yolks with sugar until light and thick. Stir in the flour and cornstarch.
Stir half the hot milk into the egg mixture. Then add that mixture to the remaining hot milk in the pan.
Bring to a boil, whisking until the pastry cream thickens. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Rub the surface of the hot cream with some butter.
For the souffle: Peel and core the pears and put them along with the lemon juice into a food processor.
Puree the pears and then pour into a saucepan.
Cook the puree for 10-15 minutes. It should be thick enough to hold a shape. Allow to cool.
Stir the cooled puree into the pastry cream and add the pear brandy. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the pear cream. It can be refrigerated up to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 425\u00b0F Thoroughly butter a 2-qt. souffle dish.
Whip the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the sugar and continue beating until they are glossy.
Reheat the pear cream (if necessary) until it is hot to the touch.
Fold one-quarter of the egg whites into the warm pear cream, mixing thouroughly.
Gently fold the cream into the rest of the egg whites and pour into the prepared dish.
Bake the souffle in a heated oven 20-25 minutes. The souffle should be puffed and brown.
To Serve, dust with powdered sugar.