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Valentine's Day: Bittersweet Chocolate Soufflé

Source of Recipe


From "Chocolate American Style" by Lora Brody



List of Ingredients



• Unsalted butter and sugar, for preparing the soufflé dish
  
• 1 cup granulated sugar
  
• ½ cup whole milk
  
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder or granules
  
• 1 Tbsp instant or quick-mixing flour, such as Wondra
  
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
  
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces
  
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
  
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature, separated
  
• 3 to 4 Tbsp confectioners' sugar, for garnish
  






Instructions



1. Preheat the oven to 400° F, with the rack in the upper (but not top) position. Butter the interior of a 6-cup soufflé dish. Sprinkle the inside with sugar, knocking out the excess.
   Place the sugar, milk and espresso powder in a medium, heavy saucepan and stir them together. Set the pan over high heat and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bittersweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Add the butter, and stir until it has melted. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, stirring the mixture well after each addition.
   
   
2. In a very clean large bowl with very clean beaters, whip the egg whites until they are stiff but not too dry. Scoop a large spoonful of whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Pour the chocolate mixture into the whites and fold it in gently but thoroughly. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish.
   
   
3. Bake for 20 minutes. While the soufflé is baking, place the confectioners' sugar in a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl; set aside. When the soufflé has baked for 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350° and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more. This soufflé will not rise dramatically, but the top should be crusty and the soufflé should be firm (not too wiggly when the pan is shaken). If the top is browning too fast, gently lay a piece of foil over it. Remove the soufflé from the oven, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve it immediately by using two soup spoons to scoop up some of the crusty top and the molten filling onto dessert plates.
   
   Makes 6 servings.