Chocolate Soufflé For One
This chocolate soufflé for one is made with seven simple ingredients and baked in a single ramekin. It rises tall with a delicate set top and a soft, mousse-like chocolate center.
Servings: 1 serving
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons butter - plus more for greasing the ramekin
- 2 ½ ounces semisweet chocolate bar - coarsely chopped
- 1 large egg - separated and room temperature
- 1 large egg white - room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar - plus a more for the ramekin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Melt the butter and chopped chocolate using a simple double boiler or a microwave safe bowl. If using the microwave, heat in 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes.
- Separate the egg, placing the yolk in a small bowl and the white in a clean mixing bowl. Whisk the egg yolk with the vanilla, then stir it into the cooled chocolate mixture.
- Add the additional egg white and the cream of tartar to the bowl with the first egg white. Using a hand mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 2 minutes.
- Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just combined.
- Brush the inside of a 10-ounce ramekin with softened butter. Add about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar and rotate the ramekin until the inside is fully coated.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekin and smooth the top. Run the tip of a knife around the inside rim to create a clean edge.
- Place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the soufflé has risen above the rim of the ramekin, the edges are set, and the center gently jiggles when tapped.
- Serve immediately while the soufflé is tall and warm.
Pro Tip: To make a double boiler, place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan with about 1 inch of gently simmering water. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature egg whites whip faster and hold more air than cold whites, which helps the soufflé rise higher.
Make sure your mixing bowl is clean and dry. Any grease, water, or residue in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping to stiff peaks.
Watch the egg whites closely. Stop mixing as soon as stiff, glossy peaks form. Overwhipped whites turn dry and grainy, which makes them harder to fold and can result in a cracked top.
Fold gently. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Overmixing pushes the air out of the batter and results in a flat soufflé.
Run a knife around the inside rim. After filling the ramekin, run the tip of a knife around the edge to create a small channel between the batter and the ramekin wall. This helps the soufflé rise straight up instead of spilling over the edges.
If doubling the recipe, double the ingredient amounts and bake in two 10-ounce ramekins.
Brush butter in upward strokes. When coating the ramekin, brush the softened butter from the bottom up along the sides. The upward strokes help guide the batter as it rises.
Do not open the oven while baking. A sudden drop in temperature can cause the soufflé to collapse before the structure has set. Check for doneness through the oven window instead.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 785kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 260mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 495mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 59g
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