16 Common Mistakes in Soufflé Preparation

Who doesn’t want to be able to make a good soufflé? And yet, if there’s one food that’s known to be tricky, it’s a soufflé. The potential mistakes are nearly endless, resulting in soufflés that are slumpy, slouchy, bland, or unimpressive. But once you know which mistakes to avoid, your chances of creating a good one improve dramatically.

If there’s one secret to soufflé, it’s the egg whites. The structural protein in whites is pretty magical, stiffening as you whip them and trapping air to create that amazing rise for which a chocolate or carrot soufflé is known. Egg whites, especially from fresh eggs since they lead to a more stable structure, are instrumental beyond soufflés; they’re the secret to cloud-like pancakes, can sub in for baking soda, and are the main ingredient in meringue.

Magic aside, haute cuisine is still kind of terrifying. If you’re just starting out on your French cooking journey, then kudos on being brave enough to put soufflé at the top of your list. “Making a soufflé is a bit like dating — timing, temperature, and gentle handling make all the difference,” Head Chef James Callery of Cross Keys Newbury says. “Get it right, and it’s chef’s-kiss perfection. Get it wrong, and, well … at least you had fun trying.” Your first soufflés will most certainly be an experiment, so have fun and do your best by avoiding the following mistakes.

“Soufflés are best known for three things; being light, airy, and easy to deflate,” says Jessie-Sierra Ross of Straight to the Hips, Baby. It’s a simple dish, she explains, consisting of a béchamel or sweet base, a bit of cream of tartar, and egg whites. However, the simplicity of the ingredients often leads folks to believe that the process of making it is simple, but it isn’t. Soufflé is fussy, and one of the biggest mistakes novice chefs make is wasting a lot of time between steps.

Accordingly, it’s helpful to have everything ready to go beforehand. That way, you can move from step to step quickly, without losing the all-important air that is key to a great soufflé. “I like to have all of my ingredients measured and laid out before I start making my soufflé batter,” Ross says. Robert Smith, a private chef at Culinary Collective Atl, recommends one better. “Consider making the base of your soufflé in advance and letting it cool before folding in the egg whites,” he says. “This can save time and help everything come together smoothly.”

“When you use cold ingredients in your soufflé, particularly egg whites and milk, you’re setting yourself up for potential failure,” Robert Smith says. “Cold egg whites aren’t able to whip up to the volume you need for that airy, light texture that makes a soufflé so special.” 

James Callery suggests you view the eggs and your soufflé batter as a group of introverts at a party. “If they’re too cold, they’re stiff, unapproachable, and don’t mix well with others,” he says. “Room temperature eggs? That’s like a group of extroverts ready to mingle, introducing air, volume, and good vibes.”

Always let your ingredients warm up to room temperature, Smith says. If you need to do it faster, you can pop your eggs in a bowl of warm water to give them a head start. “The same rule applies to the base and flavoring ingredients,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. Think cheese sauce, melted chocolate, or pureed fruit. If these elements are hot, let them cool down, otherwise you risk scrambling your egg. If they just came out of the fridge and are cold, then let them warm up. Do note that eggs separate better right out of the fridge, so it might be worth separating them ahead of time and then letting them come to room temperature.

A common killer mistake? Not being a purist when separating your yolks and whites. “In soufflé or meringue, the recipe depends on stiffened egg whites for its structure, so it is incredibly important to make sure there is no yolk mixed into the egg whites as they’re beaten,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. “A stray dollop of egg yolk can have a massive effect on the texture because the fat will prevent the formation of the foamy air bubbles that equal lift when baking.” And when the chefs say no yolk, they really mean it. Even a speck risks a flat, dense dish. “So take the time to separate those eggs carefully,” Robert Smith says.

There are many ways to separate eggs, so you might want to experiment until you find one that works for you. You can use an egg separator, a funnel, or even a turkey baster (yes, really). However, the easiest methods involve transferring the yolk from one shell half to another as the whites run out, or letting the whites pass through your fingers and catching the yolk.

Egg yolks themselves are not actually the problem when it comes to whipping egg whites; any kind of lipid (fat) can prevent the whites from capturing air. Jessie-Sierra Ross says that a bit of cooking oil left over in your bowl or grease from the cheese sauce you were just making is problematic for your soufflé. “I like to double down and wipe my already-clean mixing bowl and beaters with a bit of white vinegar to catch any stray grease or other residue,” she says.

If you struggle with stubborn residue on mixing bowls or in the base of a mixer, there are a few ways to get it off. You can spread some oil around the inside of the bowl, let it sit, and then wipe it off. This is effective because lipids stick to other lipids (the principle behind soap). You can also use lemon juice and salt or baking soda paste.

There are three basic tools for whipping egg whites. You can use a stand mixer, which has the advantage of providing both a bowl and the whipping device in one machine. You can also use a handheld mixer, but you will have to stand there and hold it the entire time, and you can’t add ingredients easily while the egg whites are mixing. Or you can go hardcore Cordon Bleu and mix the egg whites with a sturdy whisk — which if nothing else, will be your workout for the day.

If you’re using either of the first two tools, take note: Using any speed but the lowest is a mistake. “It may seem tempting to whip those egg whites at high speed to speed up the process, but this can lead to overwhipping before you even know it,” Robert Smith says. It’s best to start at a medium speed to gently incorporate air and then gradually increase the speed as you see the volume increase.”

Moreover, James Callery notes that for small, stable bubbles that will result in a structurally sound lattice and a fluffy result, stick to a low speed at first. “High-speed whipping creates big, unstable air bubbles, and a soufflé with commitment issues.”

“Getting your egg whites just right is a delicate balancing act,” Robert Smith says. “If you overwhip them, they can turn dry and grainy, which means they won’t support your soufflé properly.” That’s because, with too much manipulation, the protein strands within the whites start to break down. The whites end up becoming dry and spongy or even curdled-looking and cannot support the air within.

Consequently, you’ll want to watch your whites carefully. Look for stiff, glossy peaks, “like the hairdo that can survive a windstorm but still look good,” James Callery says. Your whites should stand up on the whisk or beater without plopping back down (though it’s okay if the thin strand at the end curls over a little).

Underbeating is just as big a mistake as overbeating because you don’t incorporate enough air. Instead of making lots of pockets to support that heavenly texture for which soufflé is known, you will have a dense product that can’t rise. If you realize you’ve underbeaten your egg whites, you can give the remaining mixture a longer whip but don’t overcompensate.

“The best way to picture a soufflé is almost like a honeycomb of air,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. “You are whipping air into egg whites, which act as the honeycomb, and then baking it to make the structure hold in that position.” Robert Smith advises you to look out for the perfect texture. “The sweet spot is when they form soft peaks — glossy and stable but not dry,” he says.

Assuming that the egg whites stand on their own is another common novice mistake. Most soufflés will call for you to make additions, and you’ve got to do it right. First and foremost, James Callery warns, you have to stabilize your egg whites. “A pinch of tartar cream helps them stay strong, like a supportive best friend,” he adds. Indeed, cream of tartar lends structure by helping egg whites stay elastic, so you don’t lose air when folding in your soufflé base. Lemon juice and vinegar work too.

Cream of tartar also increases heat tolerance, helping your soufflé cook evenly. If you’re going to be making a lot of soufflé or other egg-white-based foods (say, meringue), then a two-pound bag of cream of tartar might be the ticket. If, on the other hand, you’re a hobby baker who doesn’t create at volume, then a small bottle of cream of tartar is handy to have on hand.

“Powdered sugar is an excellent egg white stabilizer for sweet soufflés,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. “It adds sweetness and structural strength to the whipped egg whites.” That makes sense, since most powdered sugar has starch blended into it as an anti-caking agent, and starch is sometimes used as an egg white stabilizer in meringue recipes. Add sugar slowly with the beater on once your egg whites have started to thicken, but before they reach stiff peaks so that the sugar has time to dissolve. You can also use superfine sugar to get it to incorporate easily.

A note on sugars: In the United States, what we think of as powdered sugar is usually confectioner’s sugar. True powdered sugar does not have added starch, so read the label to make sure it does have some kind of additive, such as corn or tapioca starch. Also, superfine sugar is not the same as powdered, icing, or confectioner’s sugar.

Yes, there is a right way to mix your soufflé. First, Jessie-Sierra Ross instructs, “add a small amount of the whipped egg whites to the base (either a bechamel sauce for savory or a crème patisserie for sweet), along with the flavoring elements.” Once you’ve done this, which is like tempering the eggs to ensure smoothness, you can add everything to the egg whites and begin folding, bringing the egg whites up from below over and over, rather than stirring in the traditional fashion. “If you mix too aggressively, you’ll deflate all that lovely air you’ve worked so hard to incorporate,” Robert Smith says.

A set of rubber spatulas works nicely here. A rubber spatula helps you fold everything together gently and thoroughly without knocking out any of the air, as a whisk can. This strategy works well with ingredients of different densities, such as your soufflé base and the whites. You can consider having your base warm, which shouldn’t affect your egg whites but can help the soufflé cook more quickly and evenly in the oven.

The classic soufflé dish is actually called a soufflé dish, and it’s essentially a giant ceramic ramekin. However, you can also make a good soufflé in a metal pan, like a Charlotte mold, or an oven-safe dish. You just may not get the same effect with the top. For individual soufflé servings, you can use standard ramekins, but make sure to adjust the cooking times.

The most important part of choosing a dish is to make sure it encourages height. “Look for a pan or ramekin with straight sides to encourage that lift,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. That will help the soufflé stand up. On the other hand, James Callery cautions not to go too high. Avoid dishes that look like a tall chef’s hat, which will pose too much of a challenge. “It’s like trying to do a high jump in a phone booth,” Callery says.

While most people associate ceramic with soufflé dishes, that’s not the best choice, according to Robert Smith. “Metal ramekins are ideal because they conduct heat well, while ceramic can be less effective,” he says. Whatever you choose, look for those straight walls, because the soufflé batter needs to have a surface to climb.

Jessie-Sierra Ross says there’s an art to filling your ramekins with soufflé batter. First, grease the dish with room-temperature butter. Next, dust the dish with fine breadcrumbs for savory soufflés or sugar for sweet soufflés. This creates a nonstick surface, which helps the batter climb the sides; if it sticks to the dish, it won’t get the right rise.

Make sure you fill each vessel no more than three-quarters of the way full. “If you fill it up too high, your soufflé will grow upwards as it bakes (which you want), but also fall over sideways (which you don’t),” she explains. You also shouldn’t underfill them, cautions Robert Smith, which will make them look sad and flat.

Lastly, fill your ramekins gently. Plopping the mix in can cause you to lose air — a big mistake. As soon as they’re filled, run a butter knife around the edge. This will also keep the batter from sticking.

It’s a mistake to play it casual with your oven’s temperature. “Soufflés are particularly sensitive to temperature changes because they rely on the rapid expansion of air bubbles during baking,” Robert Smith says. “If there’s a fluctuation in heat or if the oven is too cool, they won’t rise properly.”

All ovens run differently, and it’s common for them to be off by 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re not sure whether your oven is heating true, then it might be time to recalibrate it. This involves first checking its real temperature using an oven-safe thermometer, and then adjusting the settings accordingly. Recalibration works differently for every oven, so consult your user manual or look up the correct model online.

You want to get your soufflé into the oven right away for the same reason you want to line up your tools and ingredients before beginning: soufflés are sensitive. Because they rely so heavily on incorporated air, Jessie-Sierra Ross says it’s a mistake to waste any time moving from step to step, and that includes getting your soufflé into the oven once folded together.

Ideally, you should move the soufflé from the counter to the oven as quickly as possible. If you can’t, you can put it in the fridge, adding an additional minute or two to your cooking time if it stays there for more than an hour. Make sure you assemble your batter properly, Ross adds, as improperly beaten egg whites won’t set well no matter how quickly you get them to the oven.

It’s tempting to open the oven door while cooking to peek at that soufflé you spent so much time on, but that’s a big mistake. “Opening the oven is like interrupting a magic trick halfway through,” James Callery says. “It ruins everything.” Why? Because your oven loses a surprising amount of heat in the short time it takes you to open the door and poke your head in.

Plus, most ovens aren’t as heat-stable as we like to think. “If this has been a problem for you, using a steel or ceramic pizza stone at the bottom of your oven can act as a heat ‘sink’ and make sure the oven is at a more stable temperature,” Jessie-Sierra Ross says. Still, the best way to stabilize the interior temperature is to leave that door closed. “Respect the soufflé’s space and let it do its thing,” Callery says.

“Soufflés deflate faster than enthusiasm at a 7 a.m. meeting,” James Callery says. That’s why, when you’re at a restaurant, the server will ask you about the soufflé when taking your order, even if you want it for dessert. Plan your timing so you can enjoy that soufflé fresh out of the oven, popping it out with a good set of potholders and placing it right on the table on a trivet.

For serving, here’s a hot baking tip from Martha Stewart: as soon as the soufflé is served, make a hole in it and pour in whatever sauce you’ve chosen to accompany the dish. This will ensure that the sauce mixes with every bite rather than running out as you get towards the bottom. It will also prevent the sauce from weighing down the top and hastening the inevitable collapse of the soufflé.

And at the end of the day, embrace experimentation. “Don’t shy away from trying different flavors or ingredients to make the soufflé your own,” Robert Smith says. “Just remember to keep the basic technique intact for the best results.” Did your soufflé flop despite knowing the mistakes not to make? Eh, no biggie, says James Callery. “Call it a ‘rustic custard,’ and no one will question it.”