Chocolate Souffle

Souffle, anyone? I told my husband that I was going to make a chocolate souffle. He said, souffle? Souffle? Let's have souffle! I asked him if he had ever had a souffle? He said he associated souffles with the rich and he has never had a souffle. I always associate souffles with complicated. Well, I have now made a souffle. Was it hard? It had many steps. Did my souffle fall? It did fall a little. I should have filled my ramekins a little more to get more of a top. When it came out of the oven, it looked beautiful. This is when it should be served. Even if it falls, it will not affect the taste. We topped our chocolate souffle with vanilla bean ice cream. I will say this dessert did impress my husband. He told me that I spoil him.

Chocolate Souffle
4 eggs yolks
4 egg whites
3 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Allow the egg yolks and egg whites to be at room temperature for 30 minutes. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
3. Spray 6 small ramekins with nonstick baking spray.
4. In a small bowl, mix the 3 Tbsp sugar and 2 Tbsp dark chocolate cocoa powder.
5. Coat the bottom and the sides of the ramekins generously with the sugar mixture. Set aside.
6. Set aside the remaining sugar mixture to top the souffles for later. 
7. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. 
8. Whisk in 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and the flour. 
9. Add the milk and whisk. 
10. Cook the mixture until it bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat. 
11. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined with a fork.
12. While whisking, slowly add a little of the milk mixture to the egg yolks.
13. Continuing to whisk while adding the milk mixture to the egg yolks. Set aside.
14. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. 
15. Gradually add 2 Tbsp sugar to the egg whites. 
16. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 
17. Fold in 1 cup of egg whites to the egg yolk mixture. 
18. Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. 
19. Equally distribute the batter to the prepared ramekins. 
20. Bake the souffles for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
21. Carefully remove the souffles from the oven.
22. Sprinkle the souffles with the remaining sugar cocoa mixture. 
23. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Baking cookbook.

One year ago............................I made Thai Khao Tom.
Two years ago..........................I made Breakfast Cookies.
Four years ago..........................I made Orange Chicken.

Did you already know....................
-In the 18th century, souffles originated in France.
-Souffle means puffed up in French. 
-Souffles should be served immediately since it will begin to fall within 10 minutes once the heat escapes.