Like many people perhaps, I have an unabashed fascination with Julia Child. As I mentioned in this week’s Petit Plaisir, Julia Child’s approach to cooking reveals her sincere passion for French food, the quality ingredients, the no fuss-presentation, and most importantly, ensuring absolutely delicious flavor.

And it was the sixth season of The Great British Baking Show airing on PBS in which the technical challenge was to bake a soufflé au chocolat or chocolate soufflé that I began to want to make my own. Having only made pop-overs which only resemble a chocolate soufflé in the aspect of the beautiful rise and more light-weight texture, I was eager to try my very own Soufflé au Chocolat. But I must admit, due to the fact that I had never ate one or watched someone cook it, I was intimidated.  But why? How had I conjured the idea that this was a difficult dish? The key in this false fear was that I simply didn’t know what it involved. Could I do it? Was there a special trick? The trick, if you will call it that, was to follow Julia Child’s recipe and all will be just fine.

Key Things to Remember:

• The soufflé will indeed fall quickly when you take it out, so have your guests ready so they can see it in all its glory.
• Putting either tin foil or parchment around the entire edge and securing with either string or tape and rising 3 inches above the dish is crucial to helping keep rising and not falling over the dish.
• Have fun. It’s really not that hard. Julia’s instructions (which I have pretty much wrote as she did –
• I note the exceptions), are very helpful. 
• If you want to put into smaller ramekins for individual servings, take it out of the oven about 10 minutes sooner.

Soufflé au Chocolat

~adapted from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking (p. 619)
yields: 6-8 servings

Utensils:

• a double boiler or a glass/metal bowl to set atop a small saucepan (for mixing the chocolate and coffee)
• A 2 to 2 1/2-quart soufflé dish (similar to above image)
• 2-quart saucepan
• whisk

Soufflé au Chocolat

Simply Luxurious

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (top quality), I choose dark chocolate from Scharffen Berger
• 1/3 cup strong coffee
• 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 4 egg yolks save the egg whites
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 6 egg whites about 3/4 cup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees (Fahrenheit)
• Place the chocolate and coffee in the small pan/bowl, cover, and set in the larger pan of almost simmering water. Remove from heat and let the chocolate melt while you proceed with the rest of the recipe.
• Smear the inside of the dish with the butter. Surround with a collar of buttered aluminum foil (I recommend parchment paper and tying with a string around the soufflé dish) to reach 3 inches above the rim of the dish. Set out all of the rest of the ingredients called for (mise en place!)
• Measure the flour into the saucepan. Start whisking in the milk by dribbles at first to make a perfectly smooth cream; rapidly whisk in the rest. Add the butter, and stir over moderate heat until boiling; boil, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and beat 1 minute or so to cool slightly.
• One by one, whisk the egg yolks into the hot sauce, then the smoothly melted chocolate, and finally the vanilla.
• Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed. Then, by sprinkles, beat in the sugar and continue until stiff shining peaks are formed.
• Scrape the chocolate mixture into the side of the egg white bowl; delicately fold them together. Turn the soufflé mixture into the prepared mold and set on a rack in the lower level of the preheated oven. Just as you’ve placed the soufflé in the oven, turn down the thermostat to 375 degrees.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes. To determine if it is done, use a skewer and plunge it through a surface crack. If it comes out clean, it is time to enjoy . . . immediately. Serve with ice cream, sweetened whipped cream or crème anglaise (p. 588 in her cookbook)

~TSLL FRENCH WEEK posts so far in 2016 (#tsllfrenchweek):

~What I’ve Learned Since French Class, So Far: Part Trois

~Style Inspiration: French Street Style

~How to Be Chic with Fiona Ferris (podcast)

~10 Fantastique French-Inspired Blogs

~Why Not . . . Be Fascinated by the French Culture?

~Find more TSLL Recipes here.

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