Gordon Ramsay’s strawberry souffle recipe follows the same fruit souffle method as his raspberry version, but strawberries need more help because they are sweeter and hold more water. Fresh strawberries blended into a puree, cooked down with sugar and a touch of lemon, folded into whisked egg whites, and baked at 175°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes.
I thought this would be exactly like making the raspberry souffle but swapping the fruit. It is not. Strawberries are milder and wetter, so you have to cook the puree down further and add lemon to sharpen the flavour, but once I worked that out the result was better than I expected.
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Why Strawberry Needs More Work Than Raspberry
Raspberries are naturally tart and thick, so they hold their punch after baking. Strawberries are mostly water and sugar, which means a raw puree makes the souffle too wet and the flavour disappears in the oven.
The fix is simple: cook the puree down until it is thick like jam, and add lemon juice to bring back the sharpness. Without the lemon, the souffle tastes sweet but flat, like a strawberry yoghurt instead of actual fruit.
Strawberry Souffle Ingredients
- 300g (10 oz) fresh strawberries, hulled
- 75g (6 tbsp) caster sugar (superfine sugar) for the base
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 50g (4 tbsp) caster sugar (superfine sugar) for the meringue
- Softened butter for the ramekins
- Caster sugar for dusting the ramekins
How To Make Gordon Ramsay Strawberry Souffle
- Make the strawberry base: Blend the strawberries until smooth, then push through a sieve to remove seeds. Cook the puree with 75g sugar and lemon juice over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until it reduces to a thick, jam-like consistency.
- Thicken: Whisk in the cornflour and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl, press cling film (plastic wrap) on the surface, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the ramekins: Brush four ramekins with soft butter using upward strokes, dust with caster sugar, and shake out the excess. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Whisk the whites: Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl until frothy, then add the 50g sugar one spoonful at a time. Whisk to medium-stiff peaks.
- Fold: Stir a spoonful of whites into the cooled strawberry base to loosen it. Fold in the rest gently in two goes.
- Bake: Spoon into ramekins, level the tops, run your thumb around the rim. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until risen and lightly golden. Serve the second it comes out.
Making the Base a Day Ahead
The strawberry base keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, which is how I always do it. Make it the night before, cover it, and the next day all you need is 10 minutes of whisking and folding before it goes in the oven.
This is the same trick that works for every Ramsay souffle: the base is the prep work, the egg whites are the last-minute part. Split them and the whole thing feels manageable instead of rushed.
When Strawberry Season Matters
I tried this in January with out-of-season supermarket strawberries and the flavour was weak even after cooking the puree down. In June with British strawberries the same recipe tasted completely different, sharper and brighter with no extra lemon needed.
If you are making this outside of summer, add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice or mix in a handful of raspberries to boost the tartness. That one change saves it from being bland.
What Goes Well With Strawberry Souffle
A dusting of icing sugar and a spoonful of cold double cream (heavy cream) poured into the centre is the simplest way. The cream melts into the hot inside and you eat it with a spoon, fast, before it falls.
I also like a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, which gives you the same hot-cold contrast. If you want to go further, a chocolate mousse alongside makes a proper dessert spread, and a few shortbread cookies for dipping do not hurt either.
FAQs
- Can I use frozen strawberries? You can but thaw and drain them first. Frozen berries add extra water, so cook the puree down longer until it is properly thick.
- Why does my strawberry souffle taste bland? The lemon juice is not optional. Without it, strawberries lose their edge in the oven and the souffle tastes like sweet air.
- Is this the same as the raspberry version? Same method but strawberries need more cooking and more lemon because they are sweeter and wetter than raspberries.
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Nutrition Facts
(Per serving, serves 4)
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Total Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Sugar: 30g
- Protein: 5g
- Sodium: 50mg
Gordon Ramsay Strawberry Souffle Recipe
4
servings45
minutes15
minutes1
hourGordon Ramsay’s strawberry souffle recipe follows the same fruit souffle method as his raspberry version, but strawberries need more help because they are sweeter and hold more water. Fresh strawberries blended into a puree, cooked down with sugar and lemon, folded into whisked egg whites, baked at 175C (350F) for 15 minutes.
I thought this would be exactly like making the raspberry souffle but swapping the fruit, but it is not. Strawberries are milder and wetter, so you have to cook the puree down further and add lemon to sharpen the flavour.
Ingredients
300g (10 oz) fresh strawberries, hulled
75g (6 tbsp) caster sugar for the base
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
4 large egg whites, room temperature
50g (4 tbsp) caster sugar for the meringue
Softened butter for the ramekins
Caster sugar for dusting the ramekins
Directions
- Make the strawberry base: Blend strawberries, sieve, cook with sugar and lemon for 5 to 8 minutes until thick like jam.
- Thicken: Whisk in cornflour, cook 1 minute, transfer to bowl, cover and chill 30 minutes.
- Prepare the ramekins: Brush with butter using upward strokes, dust with sugar. Heat oven to 175C (350F).
- Whisk the whites: Beat egg whites until frothy, add sugar gradually, whisk to medium-stiff peaks.
- Fold: Stir a spoonful of whites into the base to loosen, then fold in the rest gently in two goes.
- Bake: Spoon into ramekins, level, thumb around rim, bake 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make the strawberry base a day ahead and keep in the fridge. If using out-of-season strawberries, add extra lemon juice or mix in a handful of raspberries for more tartness.
