Soufflé

Soufflé au Chocolat

A classic French chocolate soufflé with a crisp sugar shell and a molten, airy heart. It must be whisked, baked, and brought to the table in a single uninterrupted sweep.

Prep

25 min

Cook

14 min

Total

39 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •120 g (4¼ oz) dark chocolate (70% cocoa), finely chopped; good-quality bar recommended
• •120 ml (½ cup) whole milk
• •40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the ramekins
• •30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• •100 g (½ cup minus 1 tbsp) caster (superfine) sugar, divided: 60 g for the base, 40 g for the whites
• •5 whole large eggs, separated, cold whites whip more reliably; yolks at room temperature
• •1 tsp vanilla extract
• •1 pinch fine sea salt
• •20 g (2 tbsp) caster sugar, extra, for the ramekin coating
• •10 g (2 tsp) cocoa powder, for the ramekin coating (mixed with the extra sugar)

Steps

1. 1 Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 200°C / 400°F. Brush four 180 ml / ¾-cup ramekins thoroughly with softened butter using vertical strokes up the sides. Mix the 20 g caster sugar with the 10 g cocoa powder, add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to each ramekin, tap to coat, and pour out the excess.
2. 2 Melt the chocolate with the 40 g butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (bain-marie), stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for 2 minutes.
3. 3 Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it just steams. In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook the roux for 1 minute, whisking constantly, until pale and sandy.
4. 4 Pour the warm milk into the roux in a thin stream, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Cook, whisking, for 2 to 3 minutes until the béchamel is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Beat in the 60 g of sugar, the vanilla, and the salt until smooth.
5. 5 Off the heat, whisk the 5 egg yolks into the béchamel one at a time, then fold in the melted chocolate mixture until completely uniform. The base should be glossy and just warm, not hot (about 45°C / 113°F).
6. 6 In a scrupulously clean, grease-free bowl, beat the 5 egg whites on medium speed until foamy, then raise the speed and gradually add the 40 g of sugar. Continue beating to soft, glossy peaks that flop over gently when the whisk is lifted; do not beat to stiff peaks, or the soufflé will crack.
7. 7 Whisk about one-third of the whites into the chocolate base to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whites in two additions with a large spatula, cutting through the centre, sweeping along the bottom, and folding over the top. Preserve as much volume as possible; a few streaks are acceptable.
8. 8 Fill each prepared ramekin to the rim, level the surface with a knife, and run your thumb around the inside rim to create a small channel - this encourages a tall, even rise. Place the ramekins on a heavy baking sheet.
9. 9 Bake on the lower rack for 12 to 14 minutes. The soufflé is ready when it has risen 3 to 4 cm / 1½ inches above the rim, the top is set and slightly cracked, and the centre still wobbles like set jelly when the tray is gently shaken. Internal temperature at the centre should read 70 to 74°C / 158 to 165°F.
10. 10 Dust the tops with a little extra cocoa, serve IMMEDIATELY on warmed plates - soufflé waits for no one, and begins to sink within 2 to 3 minutes of leaving the oven.