Chocolate Soufflé

A chocolate soufflé is a baked dessert built from a chocolate custard base (usually melted chocolate, butter, egg yolks, and a little flour or cornstarch) folded with whipped egg whites, then baked until it puffs several inches above the ramekin rim. The rise comes entirely from the egg whites trapping air and steam, which is why soufflés must go straight from oven to table, they start deflating within a couple of minutes of coming out.

Varieties

A 'frozen chocolate soufflé' is a different, unrelated dessert despite the name: it's a mousse-like frozen custard set in a ramekin with a collar to mimic the risen look, served cold, no baking or egg-white rise involved. True baked soufflés also vary by base: dark chocolate versions use bittersweet chocolate for a more bitter, intense flavor, while some recipes lighten the base with a bit of milk chocolate for a sweeter, softer result.

Buying tips

Not something bought pre-made and reheated with any success, since the rise collapses on cooling and won't return in a microwave or oven. Some bakeries sell frozen unbaked soufflés meant to go straight from freezer to oven; check that the package says to bake from frozen rather than thaw first, since thawing deflates the whipped egg whites before baking.

Substitutes

• Chocolate lava cake (molten center cake) — 1:1 by serving

  Bakes in a similar ramekin, holds its rise much longer than a soufflé since it relies on a firm outer shell rather than whipped egg whites, and reheats better if made ahead.

• Chocolate pot de creme — 1:1 by serving

  No egg whites to whip and no last-minute timing pressure; it's a dense baked custard rather than an airy dessert, so texture is closer to pudding than soufflé.

• Chocolate mousse — 1:1 by serving

  Unbaked and made ahead in the fridge, giving similar richness and air from whipped cream or egg whites, but served cold instead of warm and puffed.

• Flourless chocolate cake — 1:1 by serving

  Dense and fudgy rather than light, but shares the intense chocolate flavor and can be baked hours ahead with no risk of collapsing before serving.

Storage

Baked soufflés don't hold: once out of the oven they begin sinking within about 2 minutes and are essentially inedible as a puffed dessert after 10 to 15 minutes. Unbaked soufflé batter (chocolate base folded with whipped egg whites) can sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before baking, but doesn't refrigerate well since the whipped whites lose volume. The chocolate base alone, before folding in egg whites, can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated, then rewarmed gently before folding.

How to use

Served as a restaurant-style finale to a meal, baked to order in individual ramekins so it arrives puffed and hits the table within a minute or two of leaving the oven. Traditionally cracked open at the table and filled with a spoonful of creme anglaise, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream, which melts into the warm center.

What it pairs with

Pairs well with a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream dropped into the cracked center, a warm chocolate or raspberry sauce poured in at the table, or a glass of port, tawny sherry, or a late-harvest dessert wine to cut the richness.

Nutrition

A single 6-ounce chocolate soufflé typically runs 250 to 350 calories depending on how much butter and sugar the base uses, with the bulk of protein coming from the egg whites and yolks.

FAQ

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