This might be a silly question, but if using a soufflé dish, do I still need the bain-marie?

That makes sense. Some people in Brazil use bain-marie when making "Pudim de Leite Condensado," which is a custard made with eggs, milk and sweetened condensed milk; it helps to keep its creamy texture even better. (And I was just kidding with the fuming and burning thing, sorry about the misunderstanding.) Take care.

From the ingredients, I don't think burning is the issue. I think that the bain marie is there to keep the batter outer edge from overcooking and texture from becoming 'curdly', sorry can't think of a better descriptor. This batter is a lot like a custard or flan. If you overcook,, you lose that smooth velvety texture. I think the bain marie functions to keep the heat even and gentle.

I'll be fuming (pun intended) if it burns, but I'll let you know.

:-)

It's not a silly question at all, but I don't know the answer, because I've always made it using the water bath. If you try it without, please let me k ow how it turns out.