Chocolate souffle has a bit of a reputation. It's exceptional and a tricky dessert to master. We are here to show you that if your heart (or tummy) desires chocolate soufflé, then you shall have it! And you don't have to be a French pastry chef to nail it, either! All the magic of a rich, spongey, crackle-topped soufflé coming right up!
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins right to the very top. Sprinkle granulated sugar into the ramekins so that all the butter is covered in sugar. Tip out any excess sugar. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
Butter and sugar
Add the chocolate and cream to a large, heatproof bowl. Melt the chocolate either in your microwave or over a double-broiler. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and then set the bowl aside so the chocolate can cool.
½ cup whipping cream, 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks and place the whites in a large bowl. Add the cream of tartar and beat the egg whites with electric beaters until they're frothy. Slowly add the sugar, a few tablespoons at a time, and continue to beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks, about 4 minutes in total.
6 large eggs, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Whisk the egg yolks, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt into the mostly cooled chocolate.
¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Add ¼ of the egg whites to the chocolate and mix them in well to lighten the batter. Add the remaining egg whites and gently fold them in, making sure that no white streaks remain.
Divide the batter between the ramekins then smooth the tops with an off-set spatula. Then, run a knife along just inside the ridge of the ramekin to create a little channel for the chocolate souffle to rise. Wipe the edges of the ramekin clean with a paper towel for the prettiest souffles.
Bake the souffles for 13-14 minutes, until the top and edges are set and the center only gives a tiny jiggle when you tap the ramekin. Serve immediately with a little powdered sugar sprinkled on top, a dollop of the tonka bean cream or regular whipping cream, and some fresh berries and mint on the side.
Fresh berries and mint
Tonka Bean Cream
Add the whipping cream and powdered sugar to a medium-sized bowl. Use a microplane to grate in the tonka bean.
½ cup whipping cream, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ½ tonka bean
Beat with electric beaters on medium speed until medium-soft peaks form, about 5-6 minutes.
Notes
The batter may be made up to 8 hours ahead. Refrigerate until ready to bake. Once the soufflé comes out of the oven serve it immediately.Tonka beans have a wonderful flavor similar to almonds and vanilla, but they aren't widely available. If you don't have access to tonka beans, you can substitute a teaspoon of vanilla.