The Easiest Chocolate Soufflé Recipe That You Will Ever Make! (Gluten Free & Grain Free) (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good souffle? ›

According to La Varenne Practique (a timeless masterwork you should consider owning if learning more about classic French cooking appeals), there are only a few critical points to perfecting a souffle: a base of the right consistency, stiff egg whites, and the careful folding of the base and the beaten whites.

Egg Yolks + Egg Whites – Eggs are separated for this recipe; the yolks are beat with the sugar, then mixed in with the melted butter and chocolate, while the egg whites are whipped to stiff peaks to give the souffle that wondrous volume.

If the egg whites are not mixed enough, they will be too heavy to rise, but if they are over-whipped they will collapse in the oven. Finally, and most problematically, any cross-contamination between yolks and whites will cause the whole concoction to collapse, which is the bane of many dessert chefs' days.

Savory soufflés usually incorporate cheese, vegetables, meat or seafood and are appropriate for a light dinner or lunch, or as a first course. They require a substantial and stable base, in the form of a cooked sauce that often involves butter, egg yolks and some kind of starch (flour, rice or cornstarch).

Underbake and you'll have a soupy mess. Overbake and a once beautifully majestic souffle will collapse. Get your timing wrong--souffles have no tolerance for late-to-the-table dinner guests--and your souffle will fall.

Making a soufflé is actually a simple process, despite its reputation for being difficult to make. Try adding cheese, crab, vegetables and more for a decadent dinner.

Because the eggs aren't cooked, the mousse retains that fluffy, light finish. The chocolate souffle has a firmer texture. Because it's cooked in the oven, you should expect a light crust to form on top. Once broken into, your mixture should be smooth, light and fluffy.

While both are light and airy chocolate desserts that contain eggs, mousse is custard-based, usually contains milk or cream, and is served cold. Soufflé has fewer ingredients, and is baked and served hot.

The soufflé is believed to have originated in France in the early 18th century. It was first mentioned in a cookbook by Vincent La Chapelle, who was a chef to the Duke of Orleans. The soufflé quickly became popular in France, and by the end of the 18th century, it was a common dessert in French households.

Are soufflés supposed to be gooey? ›

Soufflés are best when they're still slightly runny in the centre. To check if a soufflé is set, gently tap the dish – it should wobble just a little bit. If the centre seems too fluid, cook for a few more minutes.

Souffle may be made up ahead and refrigerated as long as 24 hours. Put souffle in cold oven and bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees. It can also be frozen up to 7 days. Allow 50 to 60 minutes to bake frozen at the same temperature.

Make sure the cheese sauce is quite warm (which will allow the egg yolks to thicken slightly) but not actually hot (which could overcook the yolks and make them lumpy).

A soufflé is made up of a base (usually white sauce or creme patissiere enriched with egg yolks), a flavor (added to the base) and whipped egg whites gently folded in and baked in the oven. While it's cooking, the air trapped in the egg whites expands, causing it to rise.

Recipes that involve beating eggs or egg whites, with or without sugar, into a stable foam – soufflés, meringues, angel and sponge cakes – also specify room temperature eggs. That's because eggs whip up to a greater volume when they've had a chance to warm up a bit, 20 to 30 minutes.

An ideal souffle should have a melting texture, with a barely cooked and soft, creamy center. It will look light and high, and stand for at least two or three minutes without deflating. It should have enough flavor on its own and should not need a sauce poured into the center.