Orange liqueur Soufflés

Prepare the crème pâtissière:
Put 75 g of sugar in a cul-de-poule.
Add 3 egg yolks (reserving the whites in another cul-de-poule).
Whisk the yolks and sugar until whitening (it can take several minutes).
Add the flour all at once and mix.
Boil the milk in a saucepan while mixing (to prevent it from sticking) and monitoring (so that it does not overflow).
Add gradually the milk to the eggs while mixing, then put back in the saucepan to cook. Keep whisking without stopping with a spatula and scraping the bottom until it boils again. (should take about 3 min)
Pour into a container and set aside at room temperature.

Butter the entire inner surface of the soufflé molds.
Sprinkle with 30 g sugar.
Roll each mold on itself to evenly distribute the sugar, then pat it upside down to remove the excess.

Heat the oven to 200 °C (390 °F) and lower a tray.

If necessary, warm up the crème pâtissière to lukewarm (in a bain-marie).
Off the heat, add the Grand Marnier and 2 egg yolks (add the whites in the cul-de-poule with the 3 previous whites).
Mix well.

Beat the 5 egg whites with a small pinch of salt until very firm.

Add to the crème pâtissière 1/4 of the beaten egg whites, toss, then add the rest.
Mix gently.
Fill immediately the molds 3/4 full.
Finish with a central dome.
Sprinkle with remaining crystallized sugar.
Bake for about 10 minutes (until the soufflés are up, but not overcooked to keep them soft) on the tray. Do NOT open the door during baking.

Once out of the oven, serve immediately.
On the table, cut a bit the center and pour a few drops of Grand Marnier.

Grand Marnier can be replaced by Cointreau or Mandarin Napoléon, but the creator of this soufflé, Chef Auguste Escoffier, used Grand Marnier.
Individual soufflés are easier to bake than a big one.
Crème pâtissière can be prepared ahead. Melt a bit of butter on top when still warm, then let cool, wrap and store in the fridge.