A comforting dessert: the chocolate souffle
Souffles always have that waho factors, don’t they? Do you know what? They are not that hard to make! Even with a poor oven. Trust me, mine is pretty average, slow and inconsistent if you want to know. The one in our Balmain home was so much better! To be successful in souffles there are a few rules to follow.
With the current coldish short winter days in Sydney, the “healthy diet” needs a break for a bit of comfort. With guests staying overnight at the end of this week, after a day at work, there was no plans for desserts in execution. As it happens, Ben took charge of the main and prepared a great roast chicken! As dinner did not feel complete at the end of the week without dessert, once the dishes were done and the children almost in bed, I made a dessert and opted for a chocolate souffle.
It had been a while I had not made a chocolate souffle. I had not been too happy about the previous results and went back to scan a few french recipes. Once you know the recipe is sound, there shouldn’t be many reason to not succeed on your souffle!
Tips to demystify the making of the souffle!
- Do NOT open the oven door while the souffle is cooking. The sudden drop of temperature is very likely to make your souffle collapse and it will not rise again. If you really have to towards the ned to check the cooking, do it quick and DO NOT remove the dish from the oven!
- Serve you souffle as soon as possible once out of the oven because it always deflates a little and seeing the souffle change shape is fun too!
- The souffle needs either to be baked in ramequins or in a round dish with tall vertical sides. What is important is that the width is about 1.5 size the height of the sides, not much more, and the sides must be vertical.
- The sides of the souffle dish need to be buttered and coated with either flour, caster sugar of cocoa to prevent the souffle to attach to the sides when rising.
- If times allow, you can prepare the souffle mix a little in advance, let it rest in the fridge. Before it goes in the oven, make sure you use the point of a knife to go between the dish and the first centimeter or two of the souffle mix.
- Make sure your egg whites are well beaten and inserted without breaking them i.e. they need to be folded in, not mixed in!
The sharing version or individual version
I prefer the souffle family version or sharing version, when it is served in a large tall round dish. This is a personal taste, some may prefer the individual ramequins.
And, would you like the recipe with this chocolate soufle?
Sure, here you go…CLICK HERE.
