VANILLA SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Butter and sugar eight 6-ounce soufflé dishes, including the rim of each dish.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine milk and vanilla bean with scrapings.
• Bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
• Cover, and let steep for 1 hour.
• Remove bean from milk, and reserve for another use.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and salt.
• Add 1/2 cup steeped milk, whisking to combine and form a paste.
• Transfer paste to saucepan with milk, and cook over medium heat while whisking constantly until thickened and smooth, about 5 to 8 minutes.
• If the mixture begins to get lumpy, remove from heat, and whisk until smooth.
• Remove saucepan from heat.
• Prepare an ice-water bath: Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.
• Add egg yolks and vanilla extract to milk mixture, and whisk to combine.
• Transfer soufflé base mixture to a shallow 1-quart container.
• Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming.
• Set saucepan in the ice-water bath to cool completely.
• Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Remove soufflé base from refrigerator, and bring to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375° with rack in center.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 5 egg whites on low speed with cream of tartar until foamy.
• Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar while slowly increasing the speed of the mixer until it is on high.
• Whip until egg whites are stiff and shiny.
• Gently fold egg whites into the soufflé base in three additions.
• Divide between prepared dishes, gently tap on each dish on the work surface, and place on a baking sheet.
• Transfer to oven, and bake until dark golden and the sides appear spongelike, 16 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven, and dust with confectioners' sugar.
• Serve immediately with vanilla bean ice cream.