Chocolate Soufflé Beneath a Rich Butterscotch Sauce

A soufflé is a baked egg based dish originating in France in the early eighteenth century. Combined with various other ingredients it can be served as a savoury main dish or sweetened as a dessert. The word soufflé is the past participle of the French verb souffler which means "to blow", "to breathe", "to inflate" or "to puff".

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 10 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Cooking Method: Baking

Courses: Desserts & Sweets

Difficulty: Advanced

Servings: 6

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Ramekins

1 tsp butter (unsalted)
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp cocoa powder

Soufflé

100 g chocolate (dark, minimum 60% cocoa solids)
60 g cocoa powder
8 eggs (whites)
60 g caster sugar

Butterscotch Sauce

100 g chocolate (butterscotch, broken into shards)
4 tbsp milk

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 190°C. To prepare the ramekins, melt the butter and brush the insides of the ramekins. Mix the sugar, cocoa and sprinkle into each ramekin until coated, shaking out any excess. Set aside.
Brush the butter upwards from the base towards the rim, then coat evenly with the cocoa-sugar mixture. A clean, well-coated rim helps the soufflé rise evenly.
2
Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. Mix the cocoa with 150ml of cold water in a saucepan then bring to the boil whisking continuously. Boil for 10 seconds. Transfer the cocoa mixture to a mixing bowl and mix with the melted chocolate.
Keep the bowl above, not touching, the simmering water when melting the chocolate, and avoid allowing steam or water into the chocolate.
3
Prepare the butterscotch sauce so that it will be ready when you serve the soufflé. Melt the chocolate with the milk in a small saucepan over a very low heat until the chocolate and butterscotch pieces are melted and fully incorporated with the milk. Stir before serving.
4
Continue with the soufflés by whisking the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Add one-quarter of the egg white to the cocoa mixture and whisk until thoroughly blended.
5
Gently fold in the remaining egg whites using a metal spoon to cut through the egg white as you fold being careful that you don't knock the air out.
Fold only until the large white streaks disappear. Continuing beyond that point loses the air that provides the soufflé's lift.
6
Fill each prepared ramekin to the rim with the soufflé mixture and, using a palette knife, level off the surface. Run your thumb around the rim of each ramekin, pushing away the soufflé mixture, so that it does not stick to the edge and ensuring it shall rise evenly.
7
Bake the soufflés for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour a little butterscotch sauce over each soufflé and serve immediately.
Avoid opening the oven during the early part of the bake. Serve as soon as they leave the oven because a soufflé naturally begins to settle almost immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

Amount Per Serving
Calories 288.85kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13.32g21%
Saturated Fat 7.92g40%
Cholesterol 2.15mg1%
Sodium 109.34mg5%
Potassium 347.65mg10%
Total Carbohydrate 38.78g13%
Dietary Fiber 5.20g21%
Sugars 29.77g
Protein 9.10g19%

Calcium 38.93 mg
Iron 2.89 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

When brushing the ramekins with the melted butter, brush in an upward motion from the base towards the rim, the Soufflé will rise more evenly. Beware, do not open the oven door whilst the Soufflé is cooking or the inbound cold air may present it from rising fully.