Lemon Souffle - butter

Method

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Butter an 8-cup souffle dish and dust the bottom and sides with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar, shaking out excess.
• Heat the milk to boiling in a heavy saucepan.
• Remove from heat.
• Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar until well blended, then whisk in the flour.
• Whisk in the hot milk in a thin, steady stream and blend until smooth.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Mix the lemon rind, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon powdered sugar in a cup and whisk into the egg yolk mixture.
• (At this point, the souffle base can be refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap directly on its surface, for up to a day.)
• If the souffle base is still warm, whisk briefly until smooth.
• Otherwise, place over low heat, whisk until just warm, and remove from heat.
• Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Sprinkle in the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and beat until stiff and shiny.
• Fold 1/4 of the whites into the souffle base.
• Gently fold in the rest, being careful not to deflate mixture.
• A few white streaks may remain.
• Turn the mixture into the prepared dish and place on the center rack in the oven.
• Immediately reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Bake until souffle is puffed and brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• (It should still wobble a bit.)
• Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and serve immediately with lightly whipped cream or very cold creme anglaise.