soufflé

The chef carefully places the soufflé on the table.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A light, fluffy baked dish: "soufflé" is a culinary preparation made from a base of egg yolks and a sauce (such as béchamel), combined with beaten egg whites to create a light, airy texture, then baked until puffed and golden. It can be sweet (e.g., chocolate soufflé) or savory (e.g., cheese soufflé).

Usage Examples

• (A sweet, airy baked dish.)
• (A savory version of the dish that deflated.)

Advanced Usage

• "to fall like a soufflé": to collapse or fail dramatically, often used metaphorically.

  • His grand plans fell like a soufflé when funding was withdrawn. (His ambitious ideas failed suddenly and completely.)

• "soufflé dish": a specific type of baking dish, typically round with straight sides, designed to help the soufflé rise evenly.

  • She carefully greased the soufflé dish before pouring in the batter. (The container used for baking a soufflé.)

Variants and Related Words

• Souffléed (adj): describing something that has been made into or resembles a soufflé.
  • The souffléed potatoes were light and crispy. (Potatoes prepared with a technique similar to a soufflé.)

Synonyms

• Fluff: a light, airy texture (though not specifically a dish).
• Puff: a light, swollen baked good (e.g., a cream puff).

Related Idioms

• "A soufflé of an idea": a concept that is fragile, delicate, or unlikely to succeed.
  • His proposal was a soufflé of an idea — impressive at first but easily deflated. (A fragile or impractical plan.)

Additional Notes

• The word "soufflé" comes from the French verb , meaning "to blow" or "to puff up," referring to the dish's characteristic rise during baking. It is typically served immediately after baking, as it will deflate quickly.