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Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle

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Yields 5 to 6 8-ounce souffles

Ingredients

For molds

  • 4 ounces softened butter
  • 8 ounces granulated sugar
  • Pastry cream base
  • 16 ounces (2 cups) milk
  • 4 1/2 ounces (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
  • 5 ounces (1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
  • 2 yolks
  • 2 eggs

For Souffle

  • 1 1/2 ounces (1 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 4 1/2 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate
  • 16 ounces (2 cups) pastry cream base
  • 1 yolk
  • 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) sugar
  • 6 ounces (3/4 cup) egg whites

Method

For Molds

Heat-tolerant ceramic souffle molds should be used.

  1. Brush butter into the mold to coat the bottom and sides, also brush the top edge.
  2. Fill the first mold with sugar and while turning the mold, dump the sugar into the next mold until all molds are coated in butter and sugar. Any remaining butter or sugar could be used for the following recipes.For the pastry cream base
  3. In a mixing bowl blend 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of the milk with the flour, then incorporate the yolks, eggs and 2 tablespoons of the sugar.
  4. Place remaining 12 ounces (1-1/2 cups) milk and sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil.
  5. Mix approximately 1/3 of the hot milk with the egg mixture. Then pour this back into the pot of hot boiling milk and whip vigorously until thick and smooth.
  6. Measure out 16 ounces (2 cups) of this pastry cream base for the souffle recipe; reserve any extra base for another souffle recipe.

For Souffle

  1. Melt butter and chocolate together; incorporate this butter and chocolate and the 1 egg yolk into the pastry cream base.
  2. In another clean bowl, whip the egg whites to a very soft peak, then sprinkle the sugar into them while continuing to whip only to a medium soft meringue.
  3. Fold this meringue into the prepared base using approximately 1/3 of the meringue at first (to lighten the mixture), then fold in the final 2/3 of the meringue.
  4. Spoon into prepared molds–fill up to the top edge but be careful not to drip over the edge of the mold. They are now ready to be baked.
  5. Bake souffles in a 350F oven for approximately 20 minutes. They should rise up out of the mold and retain a soft moist center.
  6. Since souffles will fall in a matter of minutes, it is important to serve them immediately. Dust with confectioners sugar on top.

For a nice accompaniment with hot chocolate souffle, serve vanilla ice cream.

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