Grand Marnier Soufflé

Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 1½-quart porcelain soufflé dish with 1 tablespoon butter, making sure to coat all interior surfaces. Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar into buttered soufflé dish and shake to coat bottom and sides with thick, even coating. (You can mix a bit of cocoa into the sugar if you’d like.) Tap out excess and set dish aside.

Whisk flour, ¼ cup sugar and salt in small, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk, whisking until smooth and no lumps remain. Bring mixture to boil over high heat, whisking constantly until thickened and mixture pulls away from sides of pan, about 3 minutes. Scrape mixture into medium bowl and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until combined. Whisk in egg yolks until incorporated and then stir in orange zest and Grand Marnier to make the soufflé base.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon sugar at medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until frothy and no longer translucent, about 2 minutes. With mixer running, sprinkle in half remaining sugar. Continue beating until whites form soft billowy peaks, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running, sprinkle in remaining sugar and beat until just combined, about 10 seconds. The whites should form soft peaks when beater is lifted, but should not appear Styrofoam-like or dry.  (Egg whites are relatively easy to whisk; the only trick is to make sure that all of your equipment is completely dry and that there are zero yolks in the egg whites before you begin).

Using a rubber spatula, stir a small portion of the beaten whites into soufflé base to lighten it until almost no white streaks remain. Scrape remaining beaten egg whites into base and fold in whites very gently. Gently pour mixture into prepared dish and run index finger through mixture, tracing circumference about 1/2-inch from side of dish, to help soufflé rise properly. Bake until surface of soufflé is deep brown, center jiggles slightly when shaken, and soufflé has risen 2-2½ inches above rim of dish, 20 to 25 minutes. (I like to sift powdered sugar over the top before serving.) Serve immediately.