{recipe} Chocolate Souffle

 

I am a souffle addict. I love them all - chocolate, grand marnier, savory cheese, yam - My biggest problem is that I can rarely find places that serve them. After the first time I ordered one, I knew I needed to learn how to make these bad boys myself. The following is another recipe, much like Eggs Benedict, that people get really worked up about, because it is a bit intermediate. I'm not a professional chef by any means, but I can tell you, even if your souffle doesn't rise right because your eggs weren't whipped enough, you added too many yolks, the whites deflated, etc...your souffle will taste awesome! Who cares what it looks like. I highly suggest giving a homemade souffle a chance. My biggest tip - measure everything just before you start, and get everything ready and organized. Then, just take your time.

Ingredients
Confectioners' sugar
7 ounces chopped semi-sweet chocolate
4 tablespoons butter + 1 tablespoon @ room temperature
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons warm water
1/2 cup sugar + 2 tablespoons
8 egg whites @ room temperature
1/2 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Directions
Lightly grease the inside of 6, 6 ounce ramekins with the room temperature butter. Coat the inside with a thin layer of sugar and set them in the fridge. Place your oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. In a double boiler, melt 4 tablespoons of butter and the chocolate. Stir in the vanilla extract and set aside.

In a glass bowl, mix the egg yolks and warm water with an electric hand mixer until they are just mixed. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and blend until ribbons form. Fold the chocolate into the egg yolk mixture. In a separate glass bowl, blend the egg whites and the lemon juice until a little frothy. Then add the 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until the stiff peaks form. Fold half of the egg whites gently into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the other half. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake in your preheated oven for 18-20 minutes.

You'll know they are done when the souffles have risen 1/2 to 1.5 inches from the top of the ramekin and the tops have just started to get a little browned. Lightly dust with the confectioners' sugar and serve - Enjoy!!