Eight soufflés that rise to the occasion

The rise of a soufflé is a magnificent thing. If you're partial to the light touch then triumph with these incredible bakes.

Named after the French word souffler, meaning to puff or blow, soufflés came about in the late 1700s in France, when chefs began experimenting with meringue. We carry the baton and keep up the experimenting with a few of our own soufflé sensations.

1. Three cheeses

Light but incredibly flavoursome, this French classic is made truly memorable by the wonderful combination of cheddar, Gruyère and Parmesan, along with the Dijon mustard and hint of cayenne. These soufflés make a wonderful start to a meal or a light lunch when served with a classic leaf salad.

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2. Meringue and jam join forces

These rhubarb jam soufflés with a black pepper custard are a slightly different version of a soufflé - not like the scary ones that you pray will rise in the oven at the last minute – they are just as impressive and with far less chance of failure.

3. Of course there's a chocolate version

Using the back of a spoon, make a small indent on top of soufflé, then very slowly pour the hazelnut ganache into indent. Serve these immediately - to be fair they won't last long anyway. Get the recipe here.

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4. Brunch is served

This is the brunch dish to choose if you’re looking to serve something a little special. It’s indulgent and completely memorable and, on the off chance you have any leftover, it reheats very well, too.

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5. A cheesecake hit

This fluffy, soufflé-style baked cheesecake is hugely popular in Japan for its moist and smooth texture that is far lighter than many baked cheesecakes. Thank YOU, Adam Liaw!

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6. They're gluten-free and they're spectacular

Think flourless chocolate cake with a few added goodies - like Earl Grey tea, cream and a touch of lemon all to complement this rich piece of heaven. Get this recipe here.

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7. Serious ah-peel

The most important part of this honey and banana recipe is to ensure the bananas are super ripe, if not the soufflé will shrink instead of rising. Strawberry coulis makes this dish even more luxurious; add some double cream and you’ll be in set to soufflé in the comfort of your own home.

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8. Oozing vanilla custard

Austria’s version of the French soufflé, Salzburger Nockerln, is baked to represent Salzburg’s snow-capped mountains. The soufflé is baked over a thin layer of vanilla-infused milk, which becomes a lovely light custard to serve with this wonderful Austrian dessert.

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In the mood to spoon some French dessert? Check out our recipe collection here.

Taste le Tour with Gabriel Gaté airs every night from Saturday 7 July and finishes Sunday 29 July 2018. Visit the Taste le Tour website to catch-up on episodes online, scroll through recipes or find out more about the show.