Chocolate Soufflé

Ingredients

• 142 mllight cream, for chocolate sauce
• 25 gsuperfine sugar, for chocolate sauce
• 100 gdark chocolate, for chocolate sauce; stirred in off heat
• 25 gbutter, for chocolate sauce
• butter, melted; for brushing ramekins
• 50 gsuperfine sugar, for coating ramekins (about 2 tbsp per 6 ramekins, tipping out excess)
• 175 gdark chocolate, for soufflé base; melted with cream
• 2 tbspheavy cream, for soufflé base; melted with chocolate
• 4egg yolks, mixed into cooled chocolate base
• 5egg white, whisked to soft peaks, then sugar added to stiffen
• 2 tbspheavy cream, possible data duplication
• powdered sugar, for dusting to serve

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / Gas 7. Place a baking tray on the top shelf.

2. 2

   Make the sauce: heat the light cream and 25g sugar until boiling. Remove from heat, stir in the 100g dark chocolate and 25g butter until melted and smooth. Keep warm.

3. 3

   Brush 6 × 150ml ramekins with melted butter. Sprinkle with the 50g superfine sugar, turning each ramekin to coat the inside, then tip out any excess.

4. 4

   Melt the 175g dark chocolate with the 2 tbsp heavy cream in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove from heat and cool slightly, then stir in the egg yolks.

5. 5

   Whisk the egg whites until they hold their shape, then add the remaining superfine sugar a tablespoon at a time, whisking back to the same consistency after each addition.

6. 6

   Stir a spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest.

7. 7

   Working quickly, fill the ramekins with the soufflé mixture, wipe the rims clean and run your thumb around the inside edges. Turn the oven down to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Place the ramekins on the hot baking tray and bake for 8–10 minutes until risen with a slight wobble.

8. 8

   Dust with icing sugar. Scoop a small hole in the top of each soufflé, pour in some hot chocolate sauce and replace the 'lids'. Serve immediately.