Ingredients
Method
1.Make caramelised oranges. Peel oranges thickly to remove all white pith; cut each orange crossways into 4 slices. Place sugar in large frying pan; cook, over medium heat, without stirring, until it turns a dark caramel colour (tilt the pan during cooking). Split and scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan; add bean and orange slices. Gently shake pan to coat oranges in caramel. Cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stand 2 minutes.
2.Transfer orange slices and any soft caramel from the pan to medium heatproof bowl. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours. (The caramel will soften to form a syrup.) Discard vanilla bean before serving.
3.Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Melt the butter and use to grease six ¾-cup (180ml) ovenproof soufflé dishes; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the caster sugar, shake out excess sugar. Place dishes on oven tray.
4.Combine the remaining caster sugar and the water in small saucepan; stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, 2 minutes.
5.Blend cornflour with the juice in small bowl, add to sugar syrup; cook, stirring, over high heat, until mixture boils and thickens. Boil 1 minute, stirring.
6.Beat egg whites and extra caster sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form; transfer to large bowl. Fold warm sugar syrup mixture into egg white mixture.
7.Spoon mixture evenly into dishes; smooth surface. Bake soufflés about 15 minutes. Dust with sifted icing sugar; serve soufflés immediately with caramelised oranges.
The oranges can be prepared up to 2 days before serving. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Swirl, don’t stir, the toffee; this will encourage uniform melting and colouring of the sugar.
Note
