This past weekend I passed by (aka: went in) a Jacques Torres Chocolate store as I was running errands around town.  While lounging around the store eating a naughty ice cream sandwich, I thumbed through his A Year in Chocolate book of recipes.  Ooooh, Chocolate Soufflé.  That would be a new attempt…. 

So last night I decided to give it a try.  As I occasionally do when I have more than one recipe for the same thing, I bake both and have a taste test so that one can be reused in the future and the other will get a big giant “X” in the cookbook so I know never to bother with it again.  Well, I should have known better.  Recipe #2 was from a cookbook for a chocolate company which I have wholeheartedly spoken out against.  In fact, they were in the news again this week (it’s Fair Trade Month!).  I maintain my position, but figured “hmmmm, I could use their recipe so long as I don’t use their product”.

Wrong!  I thought I followed the recipe rather well, but it was a bust.  In fact, had I been thinking I should have taken a picture of the end product (not only did it not rise, I think it shrank in the oven…) and added it to a FAIL Blog.  Needless to say, the recipe which I am not posting here now has a big black “X” in the cookbook and has been officially banished along with the brand.  The Jacques Torres recipe was, fortunately, much more successful and yummy. 

Disclaimer #1: I must admit (and the pictures below don’t lie) that the soufflé sank pretty quickly after I removed it from the oven.  I don’t know if I jostled it too much or what.  However, apparently just a small adjustment (according to this website maybe I should have cooked it a bit longer or at a higher temperature) will do the trick.  In other words, if you’re looking to experiment with making a soufflé, this is a great option.   Mine wasn’t perfect but it was well on the way.

Disclaimer #2: This is really chocolate-y.  When someone asks me if I like chocolate I shrug my shoulders and say “yeah”.  That’s actually not enough love.  For this soufflé you need to tingle and say “oooooh yeah” when someone asks you that question.  Though I enjoyed it, it was too much chocolate for me but would be perfect for a choc-o-holic. 

The recipe below serves 4-6.  I halved the recipe and instead of a 1 1/2 quart casserole/soufflé dish I used a 500 ml ramekin.  All ingredients were halved, I did not adjust time or temp.  

 Chocolate Soufflé
by Jacques Torres

1 T softened butter
3/4 c sugar
8 large eggs white, room temperature (approx. 1 c)
3 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted (I used Green & Black’s 72%)
2 T confectioners sugar (optional)
whipped cream (optional)

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly coat inside of a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish with butter and dust with 1/4 c sugar so entire interior is generously coated. 
• Combine egg whites with remaining 1/2 c sugar, whisking to combine.
• Move egg white and sugar combination to a double boiler and beat with a wire whisk for about 3 minutes or until quite warm.
• Remove from heat and beat with mixer until frothy.  Increase the speed to medium high and beat until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.
• Fold melted chocolate into meringue, taking care not to over mix but incorporate well.
• Carefully place soufflé into the prepared dish, filling it to about one inch from the top. 
• Place in the middle of the oven so there is room to rise without hitting the top of the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the soufflé has risen to about one and one half times its height and top is lightly colored.
• Remove from oven and dust with confectioners sugar or serve with whipped cream.