I would never have thought I could make a soufflé without eggs but here it is! And delicious although perhaps not quite as fluffy as an egg soufflé. Very easy to make, just be sure it’s coming out of the oven immediately before you want to serve it because it does fall quite quickly as it cools off. Impress your vegan friends with this one! And of course, you can use chocolate instead of carob.
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees. This makes only 3 soufflés but is easy enough to double. Prepare the ramekins but spraying with a non-stick spray and then dusting them with a mixture of:
1 teaspoon carob powder
2 teaspoons date sugar
This allows the soufflé mixture to rise without being gripped by the ramekins surface. Next, mix together:
1 tablespoon psyllium husk (I used flaked)
3 tablespoons cold water
Whisk together to mix and set aside. The next step is to melt together:
1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips (or chocolate chips)
1/4 cup vegan margarine or butter (I used 1/4 cup of avocado oil)
Melt in either a double boiler over (not in) water over low heat or place a metal bowl on top of a pot of simmering water. Keep over low heat so that there isn’t a lot of steam emerging which could break the carob or chocolate. While this melts, in a medium sized bowl beat:
1/2 cup cold water
2 teaspoons aquafaba powder*
3 tablespoons date sugar
1/4 teaspoon guar gum
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
If you don’t have any aquafaba powder, use a cup of liquid aquafaba that you’ve reduced over heat to 1/2 cup. This requires a stronger mix of aquafaba so the powder is the easiest way to go. [It’s readily available online.]
Start beating the mixture on the lowest speed of your hand or stand mixer. Beat on low for 2-3 minutes then increase the speed to medium, again beating 2-3 minutes before finally increasing the speed to the highest setting and again beating 2-3 minutes. Trust me, you’ll say after the second stage that the mixture looks like stiff peaks but don’t stop there! This needs the third stage of the beating to keep it’s fluffy texture when folded into the carob mixture.
Once the chips are melted, remove from the heat and whisk together the fat and carob before adding:
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons date sugar (optional depending on your family’s sweet tooth!)
1 tablespoon all purpose gluten-free flour
2 tablespoons carob powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
the psyllium mixture you set aside earlier
Whisk together to combine and then spoon in the aquafaba mixture. Carefully fold in the whipped aquafaba (it’s okay if a few streaks remain). Spoon into the prepared ramekins. Mixture should reach almost to the top of the ramekin. Bake for 20 minutes – DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN WHILE COOKING – the mixture should reach the top of the ramekin. Serve immediately.
cookingwithoutallergens 