Bittersweet chocolate souffles are a classic French dessert that is both elegant and delicious. They are made from a simple mixture of chocolate, butter, eggs, and sugar, but their light and airy texture makes them seem like they are something truly special. Souffles can be a bit tricky to make, but with a few tips and tricks, you can easily create a perfect souffle that will impress your friends and family. This article will provide you with a step-by-step guide to making bittersweet chocolate souffles, as well as some tips for troubleshooting common problems.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES
Sweet caramel works in concert with slightly bitter chocolate to give individual souffles a sublime, complex flavor. Served with a thick, creamy caramel sauce poured directly inside, the desserts are sure to garner applause.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dessert & Treats Recipes
Yield Makes 6
Number Of Ingredients 10
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.
INTENSELY BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES
While some versions of souffles do indeed require a light touch, the following recipe for individual chocolate souffles is forgiving and pretty much foolproof. Recipe by Alice Medrich
Provided by Chef Kate
Categories Dessert
Time 36m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 13
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 CHOCOLATE SOUFFLéS
Categories Mixer Chocolate Egg Dessert Bake High Fiber Bastille Day Bon Appétit Maryland Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
Yield Makes 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups with nonstick spray; coat ramekins or cups with sugar, tapping out excess sugar. Stir chopped chocolate and butter in large metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until mixtures is melted and smooth. Remove chocolate mixture from heat; cool slightly.
- Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and cocoa powder in medium bowl until thick ribbons of mixture form, about 3 minutes. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Using electric mixer with clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until foamy. Add lemon juice to beaten egg whites and beat until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture in 3 separate additions. Divide among prepared ramekins. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
- Bake soufflés until puffed above edges but still soft in center, about 18 minutes. (Bake chilled soufflés about 20 minutes.) Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Use the best quality chocolate you can find. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your soufflés.
- Make sure your egg whites are at room temperature. This will help them whip up more easily.
- Don't overbeat the egg whites. Overbeaten egg whites will make your soufflés tough.
- Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture gently. Don't stir them, as this will deflate the egg whites.
- Bake the soufflés immediately. Don't let them sit around, as this will also deflate the egg whites.
- Serve the soufflés immediately. They are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven.
Conclusion:
Bittersweet chocolate soufflés are a delicious and elegant dessert that are perfect for any occasion. They are relatively easy to make, but there are a few things you need to keep in mind to ensure success. By following these tips, you can create perfect bittersweet chocolate soufflés that will impress your friends and family.
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