French Chocolate Souffle Recipes

Steps:

• Brush 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (This can be done a day ahead.)
• Set an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.
• Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture. (Rinse the bowl well, if using for beating the egg whites.)
• Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large non-reactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.
• Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet. (Level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.)
• Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
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Steps:

• Butter a soufflé dish and dust with sugar, tapping out excess.
• Preheat oven to 430F.
• Melt chocolate and stir until smooth.
• Whisk butter into hot chocolate; add yolks and combine well.
• Beat egg whites until frothy.
• Beat in sugar gradually, and beat until whites hold stiff peaks.
• Lighten chocolate mixture with ¼ of the whites, and then gently fold in remaining whites (a few white streaks may show, and this is not a problem).
• Pour into prepared dish.
• Put dish in slightly larger baking pan and add enough hot water in second pan to reach 1/3 up the side of the soufflé dish.
• Bake for 40 minutes (center will be very soft).
• Give a light dusting of icing sugar over top, bring to table immediately.
• Serve with Whipped Cream.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Brush bottom and sides of 2 (5-ounce) ramekins lightly with 1 teaspoon melted butter; cover bottom and sides right up to the rim. Add 1 tablespoon white sugar to ramekins. Rotate ramekins until sugar coats all surfaces. Pour off extra sugar.
• Place chocolate pieces in a metal mixing bowl. Place bowl over a pan of about 3 cups hot water over low heat. Do not let water boil or come to a simmer.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour. Whisk until flour is incorporated into butter and mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in cold milk until mixture becomes smooth and thickens, 2 or 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Transfer mixture to bowl with melted chocolate. Add salt and very small pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix together thoroughly. Add egg yolk and mix to combine. Leave bowl above the hot (not simmering) water to keep chocolate warm while you whip the egg whites.
• Place 2 egg whites in a mixing bowl; add cream of tartar. Whisk until mixture begins to thicken and a drizzle from the whisk stays on the surface about 1 second before disappearing into the mix, 2 or 3 minutes. Add 1/3 of sugar and whisk in. Whisk in a bit more sugar about 15 seconds; whisk in the rest of the sugar. Continue whisking until mixture is about as thick as shaving cream and holds soft peaks, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer a little less than half of egg whites to chocolate. Mix until egg whites are thoroughly incorporated into the chocolate, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the rest of the egg whites; gently fold into the chocolate with a spatula, lifting from the bottom and folding over. Stop mixing after the egg white disappears. Divide mixture between 2 prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until scuffles are puffed and have risen above the top of the rims, 12 to 15 minutes.

Steps:

• Butter and sugar a 4-cup souffle mold.
• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• Combine chocolate and butter in a saucepan and melt over low heat. Remove from heat once melted and whisk in the egg yolks, then pour into a large bowl. Stir in Grand Marnier and orange zest if desired.
• Beat the egg whites with the cream of tarter in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Fold 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate with a whisk. With a rubber spatula, fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate.
• Pour into prepared souffle mold and level with a spatula.
• Bake souffle on the lowest rack of the oven for 5 minutes. Lower the temperature to 425 and bake another 4-5 minutes, until the souffle has risen halfway above the top of the mold and is springy to the touch.
• Dust with the confectioners' sugar.
• Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and remove the top oven rack. Prepare 6 (8-ounce) coffee cups or ramekins with straight sides (or a 2-quart souffle dish) by greasing with butter and coating with granulated sugar, pour out any excess. The butter and sugar will keep the souffles from sticking to the sides, which will allow them to rise evenly. The sugar will also give the souffle a crunchy crust, which is a great contrast to the soft interior.
• To make the pastry cream base for the souffle: Combine the milk and vanilla bean and seeds in a heavy large pot and place over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a brief simmer, until bubbles form around the edge of the pot; do not boil. Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean. The vanilla bean can be rinsed and dried and kept for another use.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, flour, and 1/4 cup of sugar until slightly thickened and lemon-colored. Temper the yolks by gradually whisking in about half of the hot milk mixture (do not add too quickly or the eggs will cook.) Return the pastry cream back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it is nice and thick, enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Slowly melt the chocolate with the Frangelico in a double boiler over hot water or in a microwave set on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through the heating time to smooth it out. Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the pastry cream; cool to room temperature.
• In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites and salt just until they hold soft peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold 1/3 of the beaten whites into the chocolate pastry cream to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest. Spoon the batter into the prepared coffee cups, 2/3 of the way full, and shake them gently to smooth out the top. Place the coffee cups on a cookie sheet and bake on the middle rack for about 20 minutes. The souffle is done when it has puffed over the rim, the outside is golden and the center is still a bit loose and creamy; take care not to over bake. To serve, have each guest crack open the top of the souffle with a spoon and pour in the Espresso Crème Anglaise. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar.
• Pour the heavy cream and vanilla bean and seeds into a saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a brief simmer, until bubbles form around the edge of the pot; do not boil. Remove from heat. Discard the vanilla bean. The vanilla bean can be rinsed and dried and kept for another use.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, coffee, and espresso powder, until well blended. Temper the yolks by gradually whisking in the hot cream mixture (do not add too quickly or the eggs will cook.) Return the custard back to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately with Chocolate Souffle. (If not serving immediately, press plastic wrap on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate.)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Butter inside of soup plates, then coat well with some superfine sugar, knocking out excess. Chill plates.
• Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove bowl from pan.
• Beat together yolks and Cognac in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until yolks are thick, pale, and form a ribbon when beaters are lifted (about 4 minutes with a standing mixer or 7 minutes with a hand-held). Mix in chocolate at low speed.
• Beat whites with salt in another large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating at medium speed, then beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Stir one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly in 2 batches.
• Divide among soup plates and put 2 plates on each of 2 large baking sheets. Bake soufflés in upper and lower thirds of oven until puffed and set, 12 to 14 minutes (soufflés on top rack may finish cooking first).
• Lightly dust soufflés with cocoa and serve with accompaniments.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring the milk to a boil. Meanwhile, use a wooden spoon to combine the butter and flour to form a smooth paste. When the milk boils, whisk in the butter and flour mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the thickened milk from the heat, transfer to a large bowl and cool. When the mixture is tepid, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the cocoa powder.
• In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites by hand or with an electric mixer until they are stiff but not dry. Fold them gently into the cocoa mixture. Butter a 2-quart souffle mold, dust it with sugar and scrape the batter into the dish. The dish should be no more than 2/3 full.
• Bake until the souffle has risen above the top of the dish, is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with bitter chocolate ice cream (recipe below).

Steps:

• In a saucepan, cook the butter and flour to form a sandy roux. In a separate pan, bring the milk and sugar to a boil, then add them to the roux. Cook until a smooth paste forms. Cool slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa. Whip the egg whites to stiff, glossy peaks and immediately fold them into the base. Pour the mixture into buttered, sugared individual-size ramekins (about 1/2 inch from the top). Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar (or fresh whipped cream).