Saturday, April 05, 2008

The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook: Individual Chocolate Souffles


I'm on a chocolate kick lately it seems.  I tend to get on these obsessive recipe trains of thought, and I don't get off until I can't look at a particular ingredient again for a while.  Needless to say, that day is not today.  I figured if I was going to do something chocolate, why not do something difficult and chocolate?  Something you don't see everyday?  Something that has a very high risk of falling and deflating?  Something that I don't care deflates as long as it tastes good.  I have my priorities straight.

Individual Chocolate Souffles
From The Ghirardelli Chocolate Cookbook

2 ounces 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided
2 tablespoons plus two teaspoons whole milk
1 large egg yolk
2 large egg whites

Heat oven to 350°F. Brush two 1½-cup or four ½-cup ovenproof ramekins with butter; dust bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.

In double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate with milk and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cool for 5 minutes. Whisk egg yolk into chocolate mixture. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; add remaining 2 teaspoons granulated sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. With rubber spatula, fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining egg whites. Divide between prepared ramekins. (Soufflés may be prepared ahead up to this point and refrigerated for up to 2 hours. Bake straight from refrigerator, adding 3 minutes to baking time.)

Bake 20 minutes for large ramekins and 15 minutes for small ramekins. Remove from oven; dust tops of soufflés with powdered sugar.

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