In a heavy pan, melt the butter over low heat. As the butte melts, stir in the flour. Stir until smooth and blended, then gradually add the milk, stirring all the time so that the mixture remains smooth. Bring to the boiling point, still stirring, and cook for three minutes. Add the gooseberry puree and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Beat the egg yolks until they are light and combine them with the gooseberry mixture. Beat the whites until they are stiff (this means that you can turn the bowl upside down without any ill effect), and use a metal spoon to gently fold the whites into the gooseberry mixture.

Lightly oil a 5-cup soffle dish. Turn the mixture into the souffle dish and bake on the middle shelf of a preheated 375-degreeF oven for about 45 minutes. By this time the souffle should be crisp on the outside and still creamy on the inside. (For a more creamy result, bake the soffle in a water bath: Stand the souffle dish in a pan and pour enough hot water into the pan to cover the sides of the dish by about 2 inches.)

Remember that the souffle will not remain at its best for more than a few minutes after leaving the oven.

List, Digest #165