If you haven’t heard of Salzburger nockerl, don’t worry. A little off the beaten path, it’s one of Austria’s dessert highlights, and one of the best ways to use up those leftover egg whites. Salzburger nockerl, named for its home city, Salzburg (which happens to be Mozart’s birthplace), is traditionally served with three beautiful domes, one for each of the heights around Salzburg: Gaisberg, Mönchsberg, and Nonnberg. Traditionally served with some lingonberry or gooseberry jam, it will work with any tart berry of your choosing.
To the best of our knowledge, the only place in New York where you can sample this magic is at Wallsé, one of Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner’s Austrian restaurants. Our coauthor Olga waxed poetic about it for months, claiming to never miss an opportunity to order it when at the restaurant. We thought it would be a great idea. The soufflé is really easy to assemble, and not only looks stunning but also tastes like a dream.
SERVES 6
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
Stand mixer
Butter, for the baking dish
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour
4 large egg whites
Pinch of kosher salt
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F; position a rack in the middle. Generously butter an 8 × 10-inch oval baking dish attractive enough to serve from.
2. In a medium bowl, break up the egg yolks with a fork and stir in the vanilla and lemon zest. Sprinkle the flour all over the yolk mixture.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they cling to the beater. Add the granulated sugar and beat until the whites form stiff peaks. With a rubber spatula, stir a generous tablespoon of the whites into the yolk-flour mixture, then reverse the process and fold the yolk mixture into the egg whites.
4. Using your rubber spatula, make 3 mounds of the whipped egg white mixture in the prepared baking dish. Bake the nockerl for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it starts to lightly brown on the outside while remaining soft inside. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately.