Soufflés au chocolat

Chocolate Soufflés

Soufflés are renowned for their difficulty to make, but can in fact be very easy. If you are feeling particularly decadent when you serve these chocolate soufflés, make a hole in the top of each one and pour in a little cream.

serves 8

40 g (1½ oz) unsalted butter, softened

170 g (6 oz/¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

SOUFFLÉS

1 quantity crème pâtissière

90 g (3 oz/¾ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons chocolate or coffee liqueur

85 g (3 oz) dark chocolate, chopped

12 egg whites

3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

icing (confectioners’) sugar

Brush eight 315 ml (11 fl oz/1¼ cup) soufflé dishes with the soft butter. Pour a little caster sugar into each one, turn the dishes round to coat thoroughly and then tip out any excess sugar. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5) and put a large baking tray in the oven to heat up.

Warm the crème pâtissière in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then remove from the heat. Whisk the cocoa powder, chocolate liqueur and chocolate into the crème pâtissière.

Beat the egg whites in a clean dry bowl until firm peaks form. Whisk in the sugar gradually to make a stiff glossy mixture. Whisk half the egg white into the crème pâtissière to loosen it, then fold in the remainder with a large metal spoon or spatula. Pour into the soufflé dishes and run your thumb around the inside rim of each dish, 2 cm (¾ in) into the soufflé mixture, to help the soufflés rise without sticking.

Put the soufflé dishes on the hot tray and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the soufflés are well risen and wobble slightly. Test with a skewer inserted through a crack in the side of a soufflé – it should come out clean or slightly moist. If the skewer is slightly moist, by the time you get the soufflés to the table, they will be cooked in the centre. Serve immediately, dusted with a little icing sugar.

Beat egg whites in a clean dry bowl – any hint of grease will prevent them aerating.