Do you want to give your Valentine the impression that you really care? How about finishing dinner with a soufflé of bittersweet chocolate?
Some of you are probably thinking, “I’ve never been able to do a soufflé right. I’m here to dispel that myth and provide a foolproof recipe for a classic chocolate soufflé that’s sure to wow any dinner party guest. A soufflé dish is what I use, but any shallower-than-wide baking dish would do. In terms of capacity, the dish should be large enough to hold the batter without leaving any extra area for expansion. Now, remember the people who may be homebound or living alone. You may show your affection by sending a card or calling the person. Let’s get to the recipe.
Classic Chocolate Soufflé Recipe
Here’s a classic recipe for making a chocolate soufflé
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing ramekins
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting ramekins
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 5 large egg whites
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Direction
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease six 6-ounce ramekins with butter and dust them with granulated sugar. Tap out the excess sugar.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until a smooth paste forms. Gradually whisk in the milk until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the chopped chocolate until it is melted and fully incorporated.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the vanilla extract until light and frothy. Stir the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate mixture.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in three additions until no white streaks remain. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 of the way up the sides.
- Bake the soufflés for 18-20 minutes or until they are puffed and risen. Serve the soufflés immediately, dusted with powdered sugar if desired.
- Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar right away because soufflés fall after a few minutes out of the oven due to hot air bubbles contracting when they hit cooler air.
