easily. A stiff foam can resist the
overpressure.
So the two critical factors that determine
the behavior of a soufflé are the cooking
temperature and the consistency of the soufflé
base. A hot oven and thin mix create a more
dramatic rise than a moderate oven (or water
bath) and a thick mix, but also a more
dramatic collapse at the table.
The rise and fall of a soufflé. Left: The soufflé
mix begins filled with small air bubbles.
Center: Heat causes gases to expand and
water to vaporize into steam, so the bubbles
expand and raise the mix. Right: After the
soufflé has been cooked, cooling causes the
bubble gases to contract and the steam to
condense into liquid water, so that the bubbles
contract and the soufflé shrinks.