Chocolate Souffle Tart Recipes

THE BEST CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cut a square piece of parchment paper that is larger than the springform pan. Set it on the bottom of the springform pan and secure the ring on top; the paper will extend outside of the springform pan, which makes it easier to remove the torte after baking. Grease the sides of the springform pan.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Allow to cool lightly.
• Beat egg yolks and 1/2 the sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 5 minutes. It is important to beat a lot of air into the egg yolks, so they almost triple in volume.
• Fold lightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture using a spatula.
• Beat egg whites in a glass, metal, or ceramic bowl until foamy using the electric mixer on medium speed. Gradually add remaining sugar and salt, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
• Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate batter to thin it out. Then carefully fold in the remaining egg whites using a spatula. Immediately transfer batter into the prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until torte is no longer glossy, 30 to 40 minutes. Be careful not to bake too long, otherwise it will get dry.
• Cool on a wire rack until completely cool. Unmold carefully, since the torte breaks easily.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 1 1/2-quart tall-sided baking dish. Coat with sugar, tapping out excess. Set dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine chocolate, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, 20 minutes.
• Stir egg yolks into cooled chocolate mixture until well combined. Set souffle base aside.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 5 minutes (do not overbeat).
• In two additions, fold egg-white mixture into souffle base: With a rubber spatula, gently cut down through center and lift up some base from bottom of bowl. Turning bowl, steadily continue to cut down and lift up base until just combined.
• Transfer mixture to dish, taking care not to get batter on top edge of dish; smooth top. Bake souffle until puffed and set, 30 to 35 minutes. (Do not open oven during first 25 minutes of baking.) Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE TART

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap a sheet of foil over bottom of springform pan (in case of leaks). Lightly butter side of pan.
• Stir together ground wafers and butter in a bowl until combined, then pat mixture evenly onto bottom of pan and 1 1/2 inches up side. Bake until crust is slightly puffed, about 10 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes. Leave oven on.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Melt chocolate and butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk together eggs, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture into egg mixture until combined well.
• Assemble and bake tart:
• Pour filling into cooled crust and rap pan once on counter to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake until filling 1 inch from edge is set and slightly puffed but center trembles slightly when pan is gently shaken, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as it cools.)
• Cool tart completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, until center is firm, about 4 hours. Remove side of pan and sprinkle with cocoa to serve.

CHOCOLATE-FILLED PASSION SOUFFLé TARTS

Steps:

• For the Dough
• Spray eight mini brioche molds (3 inches across the top) lightly but evenly with cooking spray.
• Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out a 6-inch circle of dough and fit it into one of the molds to make sure you've got the correct size. (These molds vary in size, and there's no point in cutting out all the pieces until you're sure you've got it right.) Cut the rest of the dough and line the rest of the molds with it. Set the molds on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Stack the scraps and reshape them into a brick. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate or freeze for another use.
• Heat the oven to 375°F or 350°F on convection. Prick the pastry shells all over with a fork, then line them with parchment (or cut-down coffee filters) and fill with dried beans (or rice or pastry weights). Bake until the pastry is crisp, about 16 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
• Lift the parchment and beans out right away and let the shells cool completely on a rack.
• For the Chocolate Cream
• Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
• Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave it alone for about 1 minute. Stir with a heatproof rubber scraper until the chocolate is completely melted. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• For the Passion Glaze
• Mix the xanthan gum and sugar together. Whisk into the passion fruit puree, a few grains at a time, taking care that it doesn't clump. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then stir in the passion fruit seeds. Refrigerate, covered, until you're ready to serve.
• For the Passion Soufflé
• Put the egg whites and a pinch of cream of tartar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk. Turn it on to low, and beat the whites gently for 2 minutes, to start establishing a structure. The whites will look frothy but still a bit wet. Turn the speed up to medium and add 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Continue to beat at medium speed until the whites have body and are just shy of having soft peaks. Add 2 more teaspoons of the sugar and continue beating until the whites have formed firm peaks. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and beat until the whites are glossy and smooth and almost stiff. Keep your eye on the whites, so you don't overbeat them.
• Whisk the yolk into the passion fruit puree in a wide bowl. Fold in a spoonful of the whites to lighten the puree. Then add the rest of the whites and fold in quickly and lightly, spinning the bowl as you fold.
• To Serve
• Heat the oven to 375°F or 350°F on convection.
• Set the chocolate tart shells on a baking sheet.
• Fill a pastry bag with the chocolate cream and pipe a plug of cream into the center of each shell. Fill a second pastry bag with the passion soufflé and pipe into the shells, covering the chocolate cream center completely.
• Bake for 6 to 7 minutes, until the soufflés have risen and browned lightly. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
• Transfer to dessert plates and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if you want. Spoon the passion glaze over the tart or serve it on the side.
• make it simpler
• Replace the chocolate cream with mini candy bars. Use something creamy, like 3 Musketeers or Milky Way. Omit the pastry and bake the filled soufflés in ramekins that have been brushed with softened butter and coated with sugar.

CHOCOLATE-WHISKEY SOUFFLé TARTS

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend all ingredients in processor just until dough gathers together. Shape dough into log. Cut into 8 equal rounds. Press 1 round over bottom and up sides of each of eight 4 1/2 x 3/4-inch tartlet pans with removable bottom. Pierce crusts with fork. Bake crusts until pale golden, about 18 minutes. Cool in pans on rack.
• Make filling:
• Set aside generous 1/3 cup chopped chocolate. Place remaining chopped chocolate in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water); stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Whisk in whiskey, vanilla, coffee and salt, then yolks. Beat egg whites in another medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold half of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in reserved 1/3 cup chopped chocolate, then remaining whites. Divide mixture among crusts. Freeze at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and keep frozen.)
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Push bottom of frozen tartlets up to release from pan sides. Arrange tartlets on pan bottoms on baking sheet. Bake until filling puffs and begins to crack, about 20 minutes.
• Place tartlets on plates. Spoon whipped cream alongside. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired.