Preparation:
1. Butter interior and edges of 2-quart souffle dish. Put 2 tablespoons sugar in dish; rotate to coat and discard excess sugar.
2. Place all but 2 pear halves in blender or food processor bowl with orange peel; process for 10 seconds until pureed.
3. Cook puree in saucepan 30 minutes, or until thick and reduced to about 1 1/2 cups.
4. Cut reserved pears into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside.
5. Combine 1/3 cup sugar and water; boil 5 minutes.
6. Dissolve cornstarch in lemon juice; add to pear mixture.
7. Add sugar syrup to reduced pear mixture.
8. Heat pear mixture until as thick as marmalade, stirring constantly; transfer hot pear mixture to a large mixing bowl.
9. Beat egg whites until foamy; add salt and cream of tartar.
10. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry; fold in 1 tablespoon sugar.
11. Whisk one-quarter of egg whites into very warm pear mixture; mix thoroughly.
12. Fold remaining whites gently into pear mixture with spatula; fold in pear brandy.
13. Spoon prepared souffle into dish; sprinkle two-thirds of diced pears evenly over surface.
14. Add remaining souffle; spread evenly with a spatula. (The souffl‚ should reach the top of the dish; run a finger around inside edge of dish to make a groove.)
15. Sprinkle remaining diced pears over surface; place souffl‚ immediately in preheated 425 F. oven; bake 16 to 17 minutes until well browned.
16. Sift confectioners' sugar over top while souffl‚ is on edge of oven rack; remove from oven. Serve at once. (Souffl‚ will "hold" a few minutes in the oven with the oven turned off and the door slightly ajar.)
NOTE: A fussy gourmet-type dessert but well worth the effo |
