There are lots of food trends and fads. Some foods become more popular over time; other decrease in popularity. Prunes are a food that were much more popular a hundred years ago than what they are now – though personally, I like them. So when I saw a recipe for Prune Souffle in a 1924 cookbook, I decided to give it a try while recognizing that prunes are not trendy.
The Prune Souffle didn’t puff up like the typical souffle. It was very rich, and contained chopped walnuts which added a nice crunch. The dominant flavor was the prunes, though there was a hint of cinnamon. I’m not sure exactly how I’d rate this dessert. It’s definitely different than what I expected, and it’s richer than I’d like; but in an old-fashioned way, it was tasty.
Here’s the original recipe:
I’m not sure why the souffle did not puff up. It called for several fairly heavy ingredients – the chopped nuts and prune puree which may have weighted it down. Also, since the old recipe calls for a “slow oven,” I baked the souffle at 325° F. but maybe it would have worked better if it had been baked at a higher temperature.
When I made this recipe I wasn’t sure how many prunes were needed to get 1 cup of pulp, but I estimated that I’d need about 1/2 pound of prunes. I cooked the prunes for about 30 minutes get them nice and soft, and then put them through a Foley Mill. (Another option would be to puree them.) I ended up with a little less than 1 cup of pulp, but went with it.
Here is the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Prune Souffle
1/2 pound prunes
water
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts.)
1/2 cup grated bread crumbs (I grated 1 slice of bread.)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/6 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
grated rind of 1 lemon
Preheat oven to 325° F. Put prunes in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil then reduce heat and gently simmer until soft. Remove from heat and drain; reserve 1/2 cup of the prune juice. (If there is less than 1/2 cup of prune juice, add water to make 1/2 cup.) Puree the prunes or use a Foley Mill to press through a sieve. Set aside.
Beat egg whites until fluffy and stiff. Set aside.
Put the chopped nuts, bread crumbs, sugar, salt, cinnamon, lemon juice, grated lemon rind, pureed prunes, 1/2 cup of prune juice, and egg yolks in a mixing bowl; stir to combine. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Put in a 1-quart baking dish, and bake until the top is lightly browned and starting to crack (30-40 minutes). Can be served warm or cold.
I think you would really need to like prunes for that one.
If you don’t like prunes, this isn’t the recipe for you.
Cheryl this sounds yummy but could be viewed as “medicinal” by some… It doesn’t sound much like a soufflé but does sound like the kind of dessert that would pair well with coffee on a winter day!
🙂 I guess that you could say that this recipe has a lot of fiber. I agree that it is a nice dessert and would work well paired with coffee. I’ve found that I’ve enjoyed the cold left-overs of this dessert more than I liked the hot version right out of the oven.
I love prunes
Then I think that you might enjoy this dessert.
A lot of the old time desserts and even vegetable dishes with separated and whipped egg whites were called a souffle, not in the classical sense we think of today, but definitely a little lighter in texture. While this one won’t win a beauty contest, I bet it was delicious, and I love the addition of the nuts.
Thanks for the explanation about how souffle was more broadly defined years ago. That helps me better understand the old recipe. It’s a nice dessert. The nuts are lovely in this recipe.
Mother used to make a prune pound cake when we were kids. I remember liking it. I think I still have her recipe. I have eaten my share of stewed prunes I think.
It sounds good. Year ago, I think that I once made a quick bread with diced canned plums. It was tasty. Somehow I picture prune pound cake being somewhat similar to that recipe.
Best I remember, a typical pound cake–dense, heavy, but very tasty. We had them a lot. I also have her recipe for the 1-2-3-4 Pound cake. Maybe I need to dig out that recipe file of hers again and do some baking.
I do love prunes, but I prefer them stewed. Not sure if I would enjoy them in a souffle.
This is definitely different from stewed prunes, but it is good in it’s own way.
I want to make this and put a lemon glaze on it.
A glaze might work. Personally, if I wanted more of a lemon flavor, I might serve with a lemon sauce. The Prune Souffle is gooey under the crust – and I spooned it into bowls to serve.
Do any of you remember a cake in the 60’s I think that used a jar of prune baby food?
My mom made quite often thru the years.
That’s a new one for me – but I like the idea of using prune baby food. It would be much easier than pureeing prunes/pressing them through a sieve.