Chocolate Soufflé
A chocolate soufflé recipe from the French masters of the art of fine dessert making — light, airy, and intensely chocolatey.
Ingredients
- 200 gdark chocolate
- 50 gbutter
- 4 egg yolks
- 6 egg whites
- 50 gsugar
- powdered sugar for sprinkling
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190-200°C.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a water bath. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the egg yolks.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, gradually adding the sugar.
- Gently fold the whipped whites into the chocolate mixture.
- Pour into oiled molds, filling 3/4 full. Bake for about 12 minutes.
- Before serving, sprinkle the soufflés with powdered sugar.
FAQ
The main reason is improperly beaten egg whites: they should reach firm peaks but not be overbeaten. It's also important to gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture with an upward motion, not stirring in circles — otherwise all the air will escape.
This is normal — soufflé always collapses 1–2 minutes after being removed from the oven. That's why it's served immediately. To slow the collapse, don't open the oven door during baking.
The ramekin with the batter can be prepared 1–2 hours ahead and kept in the refrigerator, then sent directly into a hot oven. An already-baked soufflé cannot be stored — it must be served immediately.
Milk chocolate will make the soufflé milder and sweeter, but less intense. You can also add 1–2 tsp of instant coffee to dark chocolate — it enhances the chocolate flavor without a coffee aftertaste.
Brush the ramekin with softened butter and sprinkle with sugar — shake out the excess. The butter layer should be applied with vertical strokes from bottom to top: this helps the soufflé rise evenly.
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Comments (1)
Don't open the oven door during the first two-thirds of baking chocolate soufflé. The sudden temperature drop can cause sinking, cracking, or uneven rising. Trust the timer and check only in the final stretch.