Bittersweet Chocolate Souffle Recipes

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with the rack in lower third. Place six 10-ounce ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Brush inside ramekins with butter. Dust with sugar, and tap out excess. Using kitchen twine, secure a strip of parchment paper around each ramekin so that parchment extends 3 inches above rim. Chill in freezer 15 minutes (up to overnight).
• Bring milk almost to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; set aside.
• Put 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour. Add about one-third of the hot milk in a slow, steady stream, beating until just combined.
• Pour yolk mixture back into pan with the remaining milk. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until thick, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in chocolate, vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. The souffle base can be made a day ahead and refrigerated, covered, until ready to bake the souffles.
• Put egg whites and a pinch of salt into a large copper bowl. Using a balloon whisk, beat until foamy. (Alternatively, beat egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar instead of the salt in the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.) Add 1 tablespoon sugar, and beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining tablespoon sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Gradually fold in remaining egg whites.
• Carefully pour batter into prepared ramekins on baking sheet, filling to just below rims. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees; bake until set, about 15 minutes. Remove parchment. Poke a hole in top of each, and pour in caramel creme anglaise. Serve immediately.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Remove wire racks from oven and place a baking sheet directly on oven floor. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish. Coat bottom and sides thoroughly with sugar, tapping out excess. For the best rise, make sure there is sugar covering all the butter on the sides of the dish.
• In a medium bowl, melt chocolate and butter either in the microwave or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Let cool only slightly (it should still be warm), then whisk in egg yolks and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and holds very soft peaks. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites hold stiff peaks and look glossy.
• Gently whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining whites in two additions, then transfer batter to prepared dish. Rub your thumb around the inside edge of the dish to create about a ¼-inch space between the dish and the soufflé mixture.
• Transfer dish to baking sheet in the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until soufflé is puffed and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 to 35 minutes. (Do not open oven door during first 20 minutes.) Bake it a little less for a runnier soufflé and a little more for a firmer soufflé. Serve immediately.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SOUFFLé

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 6-cup soufflé dish and coat with additional granulated sugar, knocking out excess sugar. Butter and sugar a 6-inch-wide doubled piece of foil or wax paper long enough to fit around dish. Fit prepared dish with collar extending 2 inches above rim.
• In a bowl whisk together flour and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. In a small bowl whisk together egg yolks and 1/4 cup milk and add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.
• In a heavy saucepan heat remaining 1 1/4 cups milk over high heat until it just comes to a boil and whisk into yolk mixture in a slow stream. Transfer mixture to pan and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until it just comes to a boil. Cook mixture at a bare simmer, whisking constantly, until very thick, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in vanilla and chocolate until custard is smooth. Transfer custard to a large bowl.
• In another bowl with an electric mixer beat egg whites with salt until they just hold soft peaks. Beat in remaining sugar in a slow stream, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks. Stir one fourth of meringue into custard to lighten and fold in remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Soufflé may be prepared up to this point 1 hour ahead and chilled, covered with a paper towel and plastic wrap. Do not let paper towel touch surface of soufflé. Put cold soufflé in preheated oven. Bake soufflé in middle of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until firm and set in center.
• Carefully remove collar from soufflé dish and sift confectioners' sugar over soufflé. Serve soufflé immediately with whipped cream.

BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE FALLEN SOUFFLé CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter two 1 1/4-cup ramekins and coat the inside of each ramekin with granulated sugar, knocking out the excess. In a small metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt 4 ounces of the chocolate and 1 tablespoon of the butter with the espresso mixture and 1 tablespoon of the Kahlúa or rum, whisk the mixture until it is smooth, and remove the bowl from the heat. Let the chocolate mixture cool for 5 minutes and whisk in the yolks, 1 at a time. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Divide the batter between the ramekins and bake the cakes in the middle of the oven for 17 to 20 minutes, or until they are puffed and a tester comes out almost clean. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins on a rack for 3 minutes.
• While the cakes are baking, in another small bowl set over the pan of barely simmering water melt 2 ounces of the remaining chocolate with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter and the heavy cream and whisk the sauce until it is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon Kahlúa or rum.
• Pour half the sauce onto each of 2 dessert plates, run a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin, and invert a cake onto each plate. Top the cakes with the whipped cream and garnish them with the grated chocolate.

INTENSELY BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• If you're baking the soufflés right away, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
• Butter the 6oz ramekins and dust the insides with sugar.
• Place the chocolate, butter and milk in a large heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel) in a large skillet of barely simmering water.
• Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Remove the bowl from the water bath and whisk in the egg yolks.
• (Don't worry if the mixture stiffens slightly or is less than perfectly smooth at this point.) Set aside.
• In a medium, dry bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted.
• Gradually sprinkle in the 1/3 cup sugar and beat at high speed until the whites are stiff but not dry.
• Fold 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared ramekins, filling each 3/4 full.
• (The soufflés can be prepared to this point, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bake directly from the refrigerator.) Place the soufflés on a cookie sheet.
• Bake until they rise and crack on top and a wooden skewer plunged into the center emerges very moist and gooey (but the centers should not be completely liquid), 14 to 16 minutes, perhaps a minute or so longer if the soufflés have been refrigerated.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Beat the cream with the vanilla and sugar until it holds a soft shape (or stiffer, if you like it that way).
• Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready serve.
• When they are done, remove the soufflés from the oven and serve immediately, with a little powdered sugar sifted over the top, if you like.
• Pass the whipped topping separately.
• NOTES: You can substitute a lower-percentage bittersweet or semisweet chocolate if you prefer a sweeter, less intense chocolate flavor; or reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup to partially compensate for the sweeter chocolate, if desired.
• There is no need to make other changes in the recipe.
• After you have buttered the ramekins, the easiest way to dust sugar on the inside is to put the 2 tablespoons of sugar in one of the buttered ramekins.
• Tilt and hold that ramekin over another as if you were going to transfer the sugar.
• Rotate the ramekin containing the sugar, allowing the sugar to coat the sides as you slowly pour the sugar into the other ramekin.
• Repeat.
• Room temperature eggs are best because a cold egg might cause the chocolate to seize, which means it gets too stiff to work with.
• If you do not have eggs at room temperature, you can hold the egg yolks in a mixing bowl over medium heat (hold the bowl over but not on the burner) to warm them up.
• Underbeating egg whites is always better than overbeating them.
• You want to beat the whites until they're no longer yellow and translucent.
• To get a bigger rise, fill the ramekins higher than suggested.
• This will mean that you will have one or two fewer soufflés.
• Don't worry about underbaking or overbaking this recipe- The souffles will still taste good.

BITTERSWEET COCOA SOUFFLé WITH ORANGE BLOSSOM CREAM

Steps:

• Butter eight 2/3-to 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups; dust with sugar, completely coating to top edge. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and 1/8 teaspoon (scant) salt in small saucepan. Pour 2/3 cup milk into measuring cup; whisk enough milk from cup into saucepan to form thick paste (2 to 3 tablespoons), then gradually whisk in remaining milk from cup. Stir over medium- low heat until bubbles begin to form around edges of pan. Continue cooking until slightly thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add cocoa powder, remaining 2 tablespoons milk, egg yolks, and vanilla; stir until smooth, thick paste forms. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, beating on high speed until firm peaks form. Add 1⁄4 of whites to chocolate mixture; fold to blend. Add remaining beaten egg whites and chopped chocolate and fold until whites are just blended into batter.
• Divide batter among prepared ramekins; place on rimmed baking sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake soufflés until puffed above rim of ramekin and toothpick inserted into center comes out with thick batter attached, about 12 minutes (15 minutes for chilled soufflés). Using spoon, form small indentation in top of each soufflé; spoon dollop of Orange Blossom Cream into indentations. Serve immediately.