IMBB 20: Has my lemon souffle fallen?

IMBB # 20 + SouffleI’ve always loved souffles. Hot, twice cooked or cold, the egginess and lightness have always gone to my head. So it is with relish that I approach IMBB20: Has my blog fallen, my third event of the weekend.This is one that creates a photgrapic challenge to capture the souffle before a cold draft snaffles it.Current favourites include a twice-cooked goats cheese (with Zucchini), chocolate, Grand Marnier and, of course, a rich stinky cheese one.But on a warm spring night I fancy something zesty. Tonight it’s time for a zesty lemon souffle and I’m still breaking into a sweat.First I make the confectioner’s custard. I scrape the seeds from a single vanilla pod into about 250ml of pure organic cream. Bring to a simmer but careful don’t let it boil over. Amalgamate three egg yolks, 80g of sugar and two tablespoons of plain flower. Whisk in the hot cream.Now zest six lemons and blanche for 5 minutes and drain. Cook in a heavy bottomed pan with about 200g sugar. Add the juice of three lemons and reduce until the consistency of marmalade.It sounds so smooth and simple on paper. But spoons, whisks, pans and ingredients are scattered over the kitchen. The dishwasher is full and I’m running out of implements.I should allow my lemon marmalade to cool before missing with the custard. I leave for a few minutes but being Sunday night I am working to a work deadline.Now I’m beating five egg whites in a copper bowl. I’m next to the hot oven and am roasting. The eggs thicken but take an aeon to become stiff peaks. Beads of sweat collect on my brow. Jackie reminds me I forgot deodorant this morning.The egg whites and custard mixture are, folded together with a metal spoon (which I’m told is best).At this point you should have already buttered a souffle dish and coated the sides with icing sugar. My shortcut is to microwave the dish containing a knob of butter and then smear the sides and dust with the sugar.There is no string in the kitchen (courtesy of a certain Jack Russell) so masking tape secures baking sheet around the souffle dish.Into the oven at 195c. 25 minutes later. Presto!