Molten Chocolate Souffl

This dark chocolate souffl has a delicious molten center, and a light, springy exterior
pure chocolatey decadence from the inside out. When we developed the recipe, we
added as much chocolate as we possibly could with each iteration, until we landed on
the perfect formula. We hydrate the starches by cooking them in hot milk, yielding a
stable souffl with a small bubble structure and an incredibly soft interior.
The best part is, this recipe requires no special tools or skills. Souffls have a reputation
for being particularly finicky, but we think ours is pretty much foolproof. Serve yours
with a dusting of powdered sugar and crme anglaise for a sexy dinner party, or just
whip up a batch on a weeknight. Once you master the souffl, you'll want to make
them for any occasion, or no occasion at all.
EQUIPMENT

YIELD
Three five-ounce souffles
TIMING
45 minutes
188 g Whole milk
34 g Bread flour
34 g Butter
98 g Sugar, granulated
68 g Egg yolk, about 3
112 g Egg white, from about 5 eggs
135 g Dark chocolate 70%
7 g Salt
Whisk, 5 oz ramekins (3)
Preheat oven
Heat oven to 375 F / 191 C.
MAKE IN ADVANCE: If preparing the souffl base in advance to serve later, skip Steps 1
and 2, proceed through Step 8, and then reserve the base in the refrigerator. When
you're ready to bake and serve immediately, start with Steps 1 and 2, and then
proceed from Step 9 using the reserved base.
1.
Recipes
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Prepare ramekins
Butter each ramekin thoroughly, being careful not to miss any spots. (Unbuttered spots
will cause your souffl to stick.)
Add a small amount of sugar to one of the ramekins. On its side over another ramekin,
rotate to allow the sugar to adhere to all the buttered surfaces. Catch excess sugar
with the other ramekin. Repeat until all your molds are coated evenly with sugar.
Reserve the excess sugar and use in Step 4.
2.
a/n Butter
a/n Sugar, granulated
Combine flour, butter, and salt
Combine ingredients with your hands until they form together, leaving no dry flour.
Tip: The salt levels in this souffl were pushed to the limits, bringing out the richness as
well as the flavors in the chocolate. If you are one who tends to shy away from salty
caramels or other salty sweets we recommend reducing the salt level down to 3 g.
3.
34 g Bread flour
34 g Butter
7 g Salt
Heat milk and sugar
In a small pot, combine ingredients and bring to a boil on medium heat.
4.
188 g Milk
75 g Sugar
Add flour mixture to pot
Add the flour and butter mixture to the hot milk and whisk until dissolved.
Cook for 4 minutes on low heat until the mixture has a thick, gummy texture.
5.
About
Add chocolate
Add chocolate and stir until melted and well-incorporated.
6.
135 g Dark chocolate 70%
Add egg yolk
Add egg yolk to chocolate base and whisk until well-incorporated.
7.
68 g Egg yolk
Reserve if desired
At this point, the base for the souffl is done. It will hold in the refrigerator for up to a
week. When you're ready to bake and serve them immediately, proceed to Step 9.
8.
Whip egg whites
Using a whisk, whip egg whites into a light foam.
Add sugar and continue to whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form.
9.
112 g Egg white
23 g Sugar, granulated
Fold meringue into souffl base
Gently fold meringue into souffl base in three stages.
10.
Fill ramekins
Fill souffl molds to the very top. Use the back of a knife to remove excess batter from
the rim, creating a level surface. Use a dry paper towel to wipe any excess batter off
the side.
11.
Bake 12.
Place the ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake for 17 minutes.
NOTE: Baking for 17 minutes will yield a souffl with a custardy texture and a molten
center. Increase time to 1819 minutes for a fully-set souffl with a springy texture.
Garnish
Using a small sieve, dust powdered sugar over the top and serve immediately.
(Finished souffls will quickly crack and deflate if not served immediately.)
Serve as is, or split open and fill with crme anglaise.
13.
a/n Powdered sugar