Chocolate Soufflé
Serves 2
Ingredients
150g Plaistowe Dark Cooking chocolate
Softened butter to coat ramekins
1/3 cup caster sugar (about 85 grams)
4 eggs separated
Extra caster sugar for dusting ramekins
Icing sugar
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
Thoroughly brush ramekins with softened butter. Brush up the sides to create a “path” for the soufflé to rise. Then coat inside of ramekins with caster sugar. Together the butter and sugar will facilitate the rising.
Melt chocolate in a bowl large enough to incorporate the beaten egg whites.
Place egg whites into a bowl and start whisking with some of the sugar then gradually add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk until thick and shiny soft peaks form.
Mix egg yolks with a fork until well combined and add to the melted chocolate and mix well. This will create a batter that will bind with the egg whites.
Mix 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate mixture until well combined. Then turn and fold in remaining egg white until all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour mixture into ramekins all the way to the top and level the mixture but be very careful not to drip any mixture on the side otherwise you will have to wipe it clean and the soufflé will stick when cooked. (Some recipes suggest running the end of your thumb around inside edge of soufflé dish to ensure the soufflé will rise evenly).
Place ramekins onto a baking tray and place in the oven and cook at 200 degrees for 15 minutes until well risen and gooey in the centre.
Serve soufflé dusted with icing sugar and cold whipped cream with grated chocolate on the side.
To eat, break a hole in the centre of the soufflé and drop in chocolate cream.
Deeeeliiiiicious.
My interpretation of the recipe as seen on MasterChef Australia on Ten
Notes:
Used 8x7cm ramekins.
Next time, will reduce the sugar to about 65g because the souffle was intensely sweet.
Soufflé was prepared 30 minutes before baking, left at room temperature.
Methods for avoiding your souffle spilling over the dish when cooking:
– If the temperature is too low, it will not “seize” the souffle quickly enough and the mixture will spill over as it bakes.
– Ramekins can be filled approximately 2cm lower than the top of the dish so when the souffle rises it does not spill over.
– Do not beat the egg whites until they are stiff or the souffles can rise too high and spill over the rims of the mould. Instead whip the eggwhites until they just begin to hold their shape.
Source: Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey By Marc Vetri, David Joachim, Douglas Takeshi Wolfe
Some recipes also use flour or cornflour and milk. One website noted that they omitted the milk that goes into most chocolate soufflés and the result is a puffier, crisper texture outside and a lighter, airier consistency inside. Another recipe states that the soufflés can be prepared up to the point of ready to bake them. Just refrigerate for anywhere up to three days. Just bring them out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. If you don’t take them out of the refrigerator early, then bake them for an extra minute or two.
Other recipes:
Lifestyle Food – Chocolate Souffle by Gordon Ramsay
Lifestyle Food – Decandent Chocolate Souffles
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2922/hot-chocolate-souffl-
Lifestyle Food – Chocolate Souffle by Ben O’Donoghue from The Best In Australia
Lifestyle Food – Chocolate Souffle with Figs by Richard Phillips
Channel 4 – Chocolate Souffle by Gordon Ramsay
ABC – Chocolate Souffle from The Cook and The Chef
Epicurious – Chocolate Souffle
Cooking for Engineers – Dark Chocolate Souffle
The Baker’s Manual By Joseph Amendola, Nicole Rees, Nicole Rees Smith
Professional Baking By Wayne Gisslen, Mary Ellen Griffin, Le Cordon Bleu
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