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How to Make a Chocolate Soufflee
Souffles have a reputation for being temperamental, but they’re actually totally simple to make. Even the most novice cook will be able to make the perfect souffle on their first attempt. Using a few staple ingredients, you can whip up a dessert that’s guaranteed to impress at a dinner party, but is also great for a casual supper.
Ingridients
1 tablespoon (15g) of butter, plus extra for ramekins
6 ounces (170 g) of dark chocolate
2 tablespoons (30ml) of freshly brewed black coffee
2 teaspoons (10ml) of vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt
7 tablespoons (85g) of white sugar, plus extra for ramekins
Makes 4 servings
Batter and Stir Steps
1. Combine the chocolate, butter, and coffee in a large glass bowl. Choose a high-quality dark chocolate, as this will be the main flavor of your finished soufflé. Chop 6 ounces (170 g) chocolate into small pieces and transfer to a bowl with 1 tablespoon (15g) butter and 2 tablespoons (30ml) freshly-brewed coffee.
2. Melt the chocolate mixture over a double-boiler. Fill the bottom of a saucepan with around 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring it to a slight simmer. Put the glass bowl with the chocolate over the saucepan, making sure to keep the bottom of the bowl out of the water. Let the chocolate melt and combine with the other ingredients, stirring occasionally until smooth.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract and egg yolks. Pour 2 teaspoons (10ml) of vanilla extract into the melted chocolate mixture, stirring until it is fully incorporated. Take the chocolate off the heat and beat in the yolks of 3 large eggs, saving the egg whites for the meringue. Once everything is fully combined, place the bowl back on the double-boiler and turn the heat as low as it can go.
4. Whip the egg whites and salt in a new bowl until soft and airy. In a different bowl, use a whisk or electric beater to begin whipping 5 egg whites and 1 teaspoon (5g) of salt into a soft meringue. Beat them only until they begin taking in some air, become white in color, and the whole mixture looks lighter.
5. Pour in the white sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Once the egg whites are light and airy, you can begin incorporating 7 tablespoons (85g) of sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to the egg whites, beating them until the sugar is fully incorporated. Repeat this process until all of the sugar has been mixed in and your meringue forms stiff peaks.
6. Stir 1/3 of the meringue mixture into the chocolate base. Use a rubber spatula or a large wooden spoon to transfer around 1/3 of the meringue mixture to the bowl containing the chocolate base. Stir the meringue and chocolate together until the chocolate becomes lighter, in both color and texture, and the two are fully combined.
7. Fold the remaining meringue into the chocolate. Transfer the rest of the egg whites to the chocolate bowl. Use long, slow strokes with a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon to the lift the chocolate up and fold the egg whites into it. Keep folding the egg whites into the chocolate until they are just combined.
If you overmix your soufflé batter, you’ll knock out a lot of the air and stop the soufflés from rising fully.
TIPS
As you’ll be adding extra sugar to the soufflé later on, you should choose a dark, bittersweet chocolate to prevent your soufflé from being too sweet. A high-quality dark chocolate with around 70% cacao will work excellently for this.
Cooking the Soufflé
Preheat your oven to 425 °F (218 °C). While this won’t be the temperature your souffle cooks at, it will give them a blast of extra hot air just as they go in the oven. This will help expand the egg whites and make your soufflé rise more evenly.
1. Grease your ramekins with butter and coat them with sugar. Use a pastry brush or something similar to cover the entire inside of your ramekins with melted butter. Once they are greased, add a teaspoon or two of white, granulated sugar to each ramekin. Rotate the ramekins so that they are coated in sugar and pour the excess out.
2. Pour the mixture evenly between the ramekins. Slightly overfill each ramekin with the soufflé batter, so that the mixture is just above the top of the ramekin. Use a knife or other flat utensil to quickly scrape any excess batter off of the top and back into the bowl, giving your soufflé a perfectly level top.
3. Put the soufflés in the oven and lower the temperature to 400 °F (204 °C). Lowering the temperature immediately after putting the soufflés the oven will give them a blast of hot air needed to kickstart their rising without burning the tops. Place the ramekins on a baking tray to make taking them out easier, and leave them to cook for around 14 minutes.
5. Remove the soufflés from the oven and serve immediately.
Things to Consider
Saucepan
Glass bowl
Knife
Chopping board
Wooden spoon
Mixing bowl
Whisk or electric beater
Ramekins
Rubber spatula
Baking tray
Tips
Once the souffle has cooled, dust the top with a little powdered sugar or cocoa powder for some extra or sweetness or chocolate flavor.
Before serving, use a spoon to make a small hole in the center of the soufflé and add a dollop of whipped cream or crème anglaise before serving. This will help balance out some of the dense chocolate flavor of the soufflé.
Warning
Do not open the oven while the soufflés are cooking. The change in temperature can halt the rising of the soufflés and make them start sinking instead.
As soon as the soufflés are removed from the oven, they will begin to sink. Take them off the baking tray and serve them as soon as possible to keep them very light and airy.