Chocolate Soufflés

This is what I actually made for Valentine’s day – not the pots de creme.

Before you start making the mix, butter 4 ramekins (I used 6oz ones), and coat them with sugar.  Cut 4 pieces of parchment, and butcher’s twine which you will later tie around the ramekins, after you’ve filled them.

It is best to bake these right after you make the batter, but you can refrigerate them for a few hours without sacrificing too much height.  I make the batter around 5 pm, and baked them around 7 or 8.  I kept two others in the fridge, and baked them a few days later, and they only puffed up about a half inch.

1.0 chocolate soufflés

Ingredients:

• 4 TBSP ________________ sugar
• 3 ounces __________________ dark chocolate (melted)
• ¹⁄₂ cup  ________________ milk (whole milk)
• 1 TBSP __________________ cocoa powder (dutch or regular)
• 1 tsp ____________________ instant espresso granules
• 2  __________________ egg yolks
• 4  __________________ eggs whites
• 1 pinch ______________ cream of tartar

Instructions:

• Turn the oven on, to 400°F
• Melt the chocolate
• Whisk milk, cocoa powder, and espresso powder together
• Cream together egg yolks, and sugar, until the mixture is ribboney
• In a small saucepan, heat the milk till it just starts to bubble around the edges, then slowly add into the eggs.
• Add the chocolate in.
• In a separate, clean bowl (I used my copper bowl) – whisk the egg whites, with the cream of tartar – until stiff peaks.  I do this by hand so there is little chance of over whisking.
• Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
• Fill the ramekins, to just below the tops.
• Tie the butchers twine around the ramekins, then shimmy the parchment paper in all around.  This is substantially easier than trying to hold the paper and tie the twine.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes.
• DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN.  It’s probably ok if you sneeze though.
• Garnish the tops with caramel when you serve them.

• For the Caramel Topping
• ¹⁄₂ cups ________________ sugar
• ¹⁄₂ cups ________________ cream

Instructions:

• Caramel
• Get a clean sauce pan – high sides is better, since it will bubble up when the cream is added.
• Place the pan over high heat, and sprinkle in just enough sugar to cover the bottom.
• When the sugar starts to liquefy, add a little bit in.
• Using a heat safe spatula, very very gently move the sugar around so it melts evenly, but doesn’t crystallize.
• Don’t worry if it starts to be caramel colored – just add more unmelted sugar, slowly and carefully.
• Once the sugar is all added, turn the heat off, but leave it on the hot burner.
• Slowly add the cream.
• Return to heat if it clumps too much, and whisk to smooth the caramel.

Chocolate Souffle

Chocolate Souffle

Chocolate Souffle with Caramel

Chocolate Souffle with Caramel

Chocolate Souffle with Caramel

Chocolate Souffle with Caramel

Chocolate Souffle with Caramel