souffler

Souffler is a French verb meaning to blow, to puff, or to exhale. It can describe actions such as blowing on a flame, panting, or releasing air from the lungs. The verb uses the auxiliary avoir in compound tenses (j'ai soufflé, tu as soufflé) and follows regular -er verb conjugation patterns.

In culinary contexts, the related noun soufflé refers to a light, airy baked dish that rises in the oven. The dish is prepared by beating egg yolks with flavorings and folding in stiffly beaten egg whites to create a foam, which expands when heated. Savory soufflés may include cheese, vegetables, or seafood; sweet versions often include chocolate, vanilla, or fruit. Baking requires careful temperature control and timing, because the structure is delicate and the soufflé tends to collapse as it cools, a property that adds to its visual appeal.

The word also exists in French as le souffle, meaning breath or a puff of air. The culinary term soufflé is borrowed into many languages as the name of the dish, typically spelled with the accent in French and often written as soufflé in English-language texts. The verb cônsiderations extend beyond cooking to ordinary breath-related phrases, reflecting the general meaning of air movement or exhalation.