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Though it’s been nearly 30 years since her tragic and untimely death, Princess Diana is as beloved as ever. From “The Crown” to the critically acclaimed 2021 film “Spencer,” which earned actress Kristen Stewart an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Princess Di, the world still can’t get enough of the people’s princess.
“Spencer” follows the royal family’s annual trip to Sandringham House for Christmas around the time of Prince (now King) Charles’ affair with (now Queen) Camilla. The movie depicts Princess Di’s strained relationship with the family and her friendliness with the staff—including the Queen’s chef Darren McGrady.
McGrady famously became the Princess of Wales’ personal chef after her divorce when she lived at Kensington Palace. After Princess Diana’s death, McGrady released a cookbook and subsequent YouTube channel where he continues to share the royal family’s favorite recipes he made for them over the years—including the Princess’ favorite dessert that was mentioned in “Spencer.”
Princess Diana's Favorite Dessert
“In the movie ‘Spencer,’ Sean Harris, who plays Chef Darren McGrady (me), talks many times about making the crepes soufflé d’abricots for Princess Diana,” McGrady says in a video. “Of course, he never actually got to cook it for her in the movie, which was so frustrating for me because you wouldn’t believe the hoops I jumped through to put crepes soufflé d’abricots on the menu for Princess Diana in real life.”
When McGrady was the late Queen Elizabeth II’s chef, he would typically provide the Queen with two options for dessert, then she would pick her favorite. So, knowing how much Princess Diana “adored” crepes soufflé, whenever Princess Di would stay with the Queen, McGrady would find ways to sneak it on the menu.
“I had to put one [option] on the menu that the Queen didn’t like… maybe something like prune bread. That meant Princess Diana was going to get the crepes soufflé,” McGrady says.
Princess Di loved the light, airy dessert topped with apricot jam so much that McGrady says she would come down to the kitchen after dinner to enjoy a second helping while catching up with the chef.
McGrady shared the recipe for Princess Diana’s favorite dessert on his YouTube channel—and it’s actually easier to make than you might think.
How To Make Princess Diana's Favorite Dessert
Chef McGrady makes his crepes soufflé in four-inch ring molds, but you can also make the dessert in ramekins—then you can serve it directly from oven to table.
To make Princess Di’s favorite sweet, you’ll need eggs (both separated and whole), butter, milk, sugar, flour, and cream for the soufflé. Store-bought apricot jam works just fine for the glaze; if you don’t like apricots, McGrady says you can use raspberry, peach, strawberry, or “any flavor you want.”
Before you begin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease the soufflé rings and place them on a baking sheet and into the oven until hot, 5 to 8 minutes.
“We’ve got to get the tray really, really hot, so when the batter goes in, it starts to cook straight away. If you skip this part, it all leaks out through the bottom into the oven,” McGrady says. If you’re using ramekins, you won’t need to heat them.
For the base, you’ll whisk 7 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, 4 tablespoons of melted butter, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of sugar, 10 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, and 2 1/ 2 cups of heavy cream together. Then, beat 7 egg whites to stiff peaks—once peaks form, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Ladle the mixture into the molds and bake for 8 to 10 minutes (if using four-inch molds) or 20 to 25 minutes (if using a larger baking dish), until the soufflé has risen and is golden brown.
While the soufflés cook, you’ll heat the apricot jam in a saucepan until boiling. Then, strain the glaze through a fine mesh strainer to remove any chunks.
To assemble, you’ll top the soufflé with “lashings” of apricot jam and enjoy warm from the oven. And, just like for Princess Diana, seconds are always welcomed.
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