Preparation

Begin by making the pastry cream. Bring the milk to a simmer in a 2 quart sauce pot. In a bowl combine 2 egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar, cornstarch, flour, zest from 1 lemon, and vanilla extract.  Mix to combine.  When the milk is hot slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture, continuously stirring, until all of the milk is incorporated.  Return the milk mixture to the pot and place on medium heat.  Stir vigorously with a whisk until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble.  Continue to cook and stir for 1 minute and then strain the pastry cream into another bowl through a fine mesh strainer.  Whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter and chill.  Press plastic wrap to the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming.

Next make the crème anglaise.  Bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a heavy bottomed sauce pot.  In a small bowl mix together 3 egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar, and the juice from ½ a lemon.  When the cream is hot, slowly add it to the egg mixture until it is completely incorporated.  Return the cream mixture to the sauce pot and place on low heat.  Continually stir this mixture with a rubber spatula until it begins to thicken and just coats the back of spoon.  As soon as it thickens, strain into a separate bowl or container through a fine mesh strainer.  Chill completely.  When chilled mix in the buttermilk and zest from half of a lemon.

Pre-heat oven to 335F.  Grease six 5 ounce ramekins with butter and then coat with granulated sugar all the way up the sides to the top. To make the soufflé batter, whip the four egg whites to stiff peak.  Fold the whipped egg whites into the pastry cream in three steps with a spatula.  The batter should be light and smooth.  Evenly distribute the batter into the six ramekins.  Fill no more than ¾ full.  Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 22 to 28 minutes or until the soufflés have risen and are golden brown.  Do not open the oven during cooking as it can make the soufflés fall.  Remove from the oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with the buttermilk crème anglaise spooned into the middle.