Souffles

I like the whole idea of souffles, because they are made from nutritious eggs with only a small amount of sweetener. And they are a very elegant and impressive dessert for special occasions.

I've scaled these recipes to serve two and be made in individual 1-cup ramekins. That way you get a nice-sized portion with no tempting leftovers. Ramekins are inexpensive and very handy to have on hand for making measured dessert portions. If you don't have ramekins, you can pick them up at any cookware store.

Here are some tips for best results when making souffles.

• Separate the eggs when they are cold, so the whites will separate easily from the yolks. Then, for best volume, allow the egg whites to reach room temperature before you beat them.
• Beat the egg whites only until soft peaks form, and be careful not to overbeat.
• Fold egg whites into the other ingredients by hand, using an up-and-over motion with a rubber or silicone spatula. Do not stir or beat. First fold about 1/3 of the whites into the other ingredients and mix fairly well. Then fold in the remaining 2/3 of the whites very gently.