Bridging Old and New

The tradition of Thanksgiving dinner creates as strange dichotomy at the dinner table.  Due to the “tradition” of it all, there are those that want and expect the same items to be on the table from year to year.  The very fact that they know what they’ll be eating creates that “comfort” factor…a sense of familiarity.  Even though the past year may have been one of ups and downs, the moment we sit down with our loved ones to the ritualistic feast we’ve been eating together for years suddenly makes everything seem ok, if even for just that one day.  Then there are those (often the cooks) that want to try something new.  They’re tired of doing the same things the same way and want to exercise a little creative flair, if for nothing else than to add a sense of excitement to the cooking that has become routine over the years.

Experience has taught me it’s best to try to bring the two together.  Flexing creative muscle on Thanksgiving can very well cause disgust on those who look forward to aunt Bertha’s Jello Mold each year.  On the other hand, always preparing the same things without tweaking can cause resentment on the ones that usually spend the day in the kitchen.  Bridging creativity with familiar flavors is usually the best way of appealing to both factions.

In my experience, pumpkin pie is one of the items that people often make (or buy) simply because they feel they “have to”.  Even if no one really goes crazy for it, there seems to be a subliminal mandate that it make an appearance on the table, if for nothing more than to be a sort of dessert “sacrificial lamb” dedicated to the tradition of Thanksgiving.

If you or your family is one of those that just stares at the pumpkin pie while diving into everything else, then why not try something new?

My brother, sister-in-law, and nieces have been visiting this past week.  My nieces wanted to cook so I used them as my “guinea pigs” to do another round of a new souffle recipe I’ve been working on.  If three girls ranging in age from 5 to 12 can make a souffle, then you can too!

Spiced Pumpkin Souffles

These light and airy soufflés deliver the flavor of pumpkin pie without quite as much richness. Gingersnap crumbs (made from purchased gingersnaps pulverized in a food processor) replace the “crust” and a spoonful of vanilla ice cream in the bottom melts into a vanilla sauce to complement the spice flavors. You can make these in advance, cover individually and freeze up to a week in advance. Place them straight into the preheated oven from the freezer and increase the baking time by about 4-5 minutes, depending on size of the soufflé dish.

Yield: 4 8-oz soufflés

3 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs
½ cup milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
3 eggs, room temperature
½ cup canned pumpkin puree, packed
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
½ pint vanilla ice cream
Powdered sugar for garnish, if desired

Place oven rack about a third of the way from the bottom of the oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Using a pastry brush, brush the inside of 4 8-oz. soufflé dishes with melted butter, coating the bottom and sides evenly. Place about a tablespoon of gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs inside each dish. Tilt to coat the bottom and sides evenly and then dump excess out into a small bowl (or paper towel to minimize dishes). Once all the soufflé cups have been coated with the crumbs, divide remaining crumbs evenly between the 4 dishes to create a layer of crumbs on the bottom of the dish.

Rinse a small saucepan with cold water and pour the water out, do not wipe pan dry. Pour the milk into the pan and place over medium-high heat just until the milk bubbles on the surface. Rinsing the pan with cold water before adding milk or cream lessens the chance of it sticking and burning.

In a 1 quart bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Rub the mixture together to break up any lumps in the spices and blend everything together.

Crack and divide the eggs, with whites going into a large bowl and the yolks going into the bowl with the spice and sugar mixture.

Once eggs are separated, beat the egg yolks with the spice and sugar mixture until it is lightened in color, very thick and forms a “ribbon” (A ribbon is achieved when the mixture leaves a trail on top of the remainder in the bowl when it’s drizzled over the bowl). Add pumpkin to the yolk mixture and mix until evenly blended.

Temper the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture by adding a small amount at a time, whisking vigorously. Once the milk has been added to the egg yolk mixture, return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium high heat until the mixture boils and thickens. The sugar and starch will protect the eggs from curdling but it is important to whisk vigorously to prevent scorching on the bottom. Once mixture is thickened, pour into a clean bowl and set aside to cool. The base can be prepared in advance up to this point about 2 days ahead. If preparing in advance, press a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin from forming when it cools.

Add vanilla extract to the egg whites. Using a hand mixer (or whisk if you’re feeling energetic), start whipping the egg whites on medium low speed until they become foamy and frothy. As they being to foam and become slightly opaque, start adding the brown sugar a couple tablespoons at a time. Whip egg whites until they form medium firm peaks (do not take to the point of stiff peaks). Egg whites are done when they start to stand but the tips loop over when the whisk or beaters are lifted from the bowl.

Pull the egg whites to one side of the bowl and carefully pour the pumpkin pudding into the cleared side. Gently fold the egg whites with the pumpkin pudding until nearly evenly blended.

Place a small scoop of the vanilla ice cream in the bottom of each prepared soufflé dish. Divide the pumpkin mixture between the dishes (do not fill dishes above the top of the soufflé dish), flattening the tops with a small palette knife or butter knife. Use your thumb to wipe around the edge of each soufflé dish to create a small “moat” between the center of the soufflé and the edge of the dish. This will help the soufflé to rise more evenly.

(Souffles can be prepared to this point and then tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and frozen for up to a week. When ready to bake, soufflés go from freezer directly the oven and baking time is increased by about 4-5 minutes.)

Place soufflés on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet of soufflés into the preheated oven for about 16-18 minutes. When soufflés have risen nicely, remove from oven and dust with powdered sugar before serving.  Serve immediately.