Chocolate Souffle

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Melted butter, for greasing
• 5 tbs caster sugar
• 30g (1 1/2 tbs) butter
• 2 tbs plain flour, sifted
• 2 tbs cocoa powder, sifted
• 250mls (1 cup) milk
• 100g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 egg yolks, lightly whisked
• 5 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• Icing sugar, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 210°C. Brush a 1-litre (4-cup) ovenproof souffle dish with melted butter to grease. Use 1 tbs of the caster sugar to coat inside the dish.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the flour and cocoa powder. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stand for 3 minutes or until cooled slightly.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling. Pour the hot milk and remaining sugar into the cooled flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Return the saucepan to the heat and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until just boiled and thickened.
4. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, stir until melted and well combined. Pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks and whisk until combined.
5. Place the egg whites and cream of tartar into a large bowl. Use hand-held electric beaters or a hand whisk to whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks just form.
6. Add a large spoonful of egg whites to the chocolate mixture and mix with a large metal spoon Until well combined (make sure you fully incorporate the egg whites). Use the metal spoon to gently fold through the remaining egg whites.
7. Spoon into the prepared dish and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 190°C and bake for a further 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 4 1/2 tbscaster sugar
• 60g butter
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 160ml (2/3 cup) milk
• 210g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 eggs, separated
• 125ml (1/2 cup) thin cream
• 2 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush six 160ml (2/3-cup) ovenproof souffle dishes with melted butter to grease (using upward strokes on side). Sprinkle the inside with 1 1/2 tbs of caster sugar, shake out any excess.
2. Melt 30g of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and use a wooden spoon to stir for 1 minute or until mixture is smooth and begins to bubble. Remove from heat, gradually add milk, stirring until smooth and combined. Return to medium heat, stir until mixture thickens and comes to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in 125g of the chocolate and remaining caster sugar until combined. Transfer to a bowl. Add egg yolks and stir until well combined.
4. Use an electric beater to whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Use a metal spoon to fold one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.
5. Spoon the mixture evenly into prepared dishes. Place on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until well risen.
6. Meanwhile: combine remaining chocolate, remaining butter, brown sugar, cream and vanilla essence in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until chocolate melts and mixture is well combined. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place in a jug.
7. To serve, place ramekins on plates. Dust with icing sugar. Use a spoon to make a hole in top of each souffle, pour in a little chocolate sauce.

minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 125g butter, cubed
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 35g (1/4 cup) plain flour, sifted
• Thin cream or vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease a round 2 litre (8-cup) ovenproof dish. Combine butter and chocolate in the top of a double saucepan or heatproof bowl and stir over simmering water until melted (see microwave tip). Remove from heat. Add 110g (1/2 cup) of caster sugar and the egg yolks. Stir well. Next, stir in the flour.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Sprinkle remaining 40g (2 tablespoons) caster sugar over the egg white mix and whisk until stiff peaks just form. Fold a third of the egg whites mix into the chocolate mixture and then gently fold in the rest. Spoon into the prepared dish and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre. Stand for 5 minutes before spooning into bowls and serving with cream or ice-cream.

Notes

• 
  You can serve this dessert two ways - spooned straight from the dish while warm or as a cake, at room temperature, cut into wedges. To serve as a cake, follow the directions below for the pudding and cook in a well-buttered, lightly floured 20cm springform pan. Stand for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from tin and cooling on a wire rack. Serve with chocolate, vanilla or caramel ice-cream, or cream. Microwave tip: Mix chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, for 2 minutes on Medium High/650 watts/70%, stirring after 1 minute. Remove from microwave oven and stir until melted and combined. Drink suggestion: Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora.

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 60g butter
• 35g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• 250ml (1 cup) milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 175g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
• 5 egg yolks
• 150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier
• 6 egg whites
• Double cream, to serve

• Chocolate sauce

• 55g (1/4 cup firmly packed) brown sugar
• 250ml (1 cup) pouring cream
• 40g butter
• 180g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Butter 8 x 150ml souffle or ovenproof dishes.
2. Melt butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low–medium heat, stir in flour and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk milk and vanilla into flour mixture until smooth. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Don't worry if the mixture separates a little.
3. Using an electric mixer, whisk yolks and half the sugar until thick and pale. Add chocolate mixture and liqueur. Stir well.
4. Using an electric mixer, whisk whites and a pinch of salt to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining sugar and whisk to stiff peaks. Carefully fold whites into chocolate mixture in 2 batches until just combined. Spoon into dishes (mixture will fill dishes) (see note)and bake for 16–18 minutes or until puddings are well risen.
5. For sauce, combine 60ml (1/4 cup) water, sugar, cream and butter in a small pan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Stir in chocolate until melted.
6. Serve puddings immediately with chocolate sauce and double cream passed separately to spoon into the centre.

Notes

• 
  If using dishes deeper than ramekins, fill only three-quarters full.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 10g butter, melted, to grease
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 30g butter
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• 3/4 cup milk
• 6 eggs, at room temperature, separated
• 150g dark chocolate, melted
• double cream, to serve

Method

1. Place oven shelf in the lower part of the oven. Place a large baking tray on shelf. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fanforced. Using an upward motion, brush six 200ml capacity ramekins with melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar to coat. Shake out excess.
2. Melt butter in a small, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk. Return to heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in remaining sugar, 2 egg yolks and chocolate. Set aside for 5 minutes.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat 6 eggwhites until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, stir one-quarter of the eggwhite into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining eggwhite.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared ramekins, leaving 1cm below rim. Gently tap base of each ramekin on work surface to remove air pockets. Smooth tops. Place ramekins on hot baking tray. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until puffed. Serve with double cream.

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 15g (3 tsp) butter, at room temperature, for greasing
• 2 tbs caster sugar, for coating
• 75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar, extra
• 25g (5 tsp) butter
• 2 tbs cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tbs plain flour
• 125mls (1/2 cup) milk
• 3 large (59-60g) free-range eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 100g good-quality dark chocolate, very finely chopped
• 1 egg white, at room
• temperature, extra
• Extra cocoa powder, to dust

• coffee liqueur sauce

• 125mls (1/2 cup) thin cream
• 2 tbs caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tbs instant coffee granules
• 2 tbs Tia Maria liqueur

Method

1. Brush the bases of six 125mls (1/2-cup), 9cm diameter (top measurement) ovenproof coffee cups or ramekins with butter and then use upward strokes to grease the sides.
2. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set butter. Brush again with remaining butter. Add the 2 tbs of caster sugar to 1 cup or ramekin. Rotate cup or ramekin to coat the inside with sugar. Turn cup or ramekin upside down and gently tap so the sugar falls into the next cup or ramekin. Repeat with the remaining cups or ramekins.
3. To make the chocolate sauce mixture, place the extra sugar in a medium heat-resistant bowl and set aside.
4. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add cocoa powder and flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute or until roux leaves side of pan and is bubbling. Remove pan from heat. Add 1/2 the milk while stirring with the whisk. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Gradually stir in remaining milk.
5. Stir constantly over medium heat until sauce thickens and comes to the boil.
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
7. Pour hot sauce into bowl with sugar and mix with a whisk until smooth.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 1 oven shelf in bottom position and remove all other shelves. Place a large baking tray in oven.
9. Add the egg yolks to the chocolate sauce mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until combined.
10. Place all egg whites in a clean medium mixing bowl. Use clean electric beaters to whisk egg whites until soft peaks form.
11. Spoon about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate sauce mixture and use a spatula or large metal spoon to fold the egg whites through mixture until just combined. Pour the chocolate mixture into side of bowl containing the remaining egg whites and fold in with the spatula or large metal spoon until just combined. Pour into prepared cups or ramekins. Gently smooth tops with a spatula. Place cups or ramekins on baking tray in preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.
12. Meanwhile, to make coffee liqueur sauce, place cream, sugar and coffee in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar and coffee dissolve. Remove from heat and add Tia Maria. Pour into a warmed serving jug to keep warm.
13. When ready, the souffles should be well risen and wobble slightly when cups or ramekins are tapped. If you are still unsure, test with a skewer through side of souffle - it should come out clean and slightly moist.
14. Dust with extra cocoa powder and serve immediately with some of the coffee liqueur sauce poured into a hole poked into the top of each souffle.

Notes

• 
  If you make the souffles in coffee cups as we have, they will rise differently because cups are usually much narrower than ramekins. As a result, there will be cracks in the tops of the cooked souffles. The chocolate sauce mixture can be made up to a day ahead. Keep, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge. Stand at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours before using.