Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (2024)

  • Chocolate
  • Desserts

Served à la minute, chocolate soufflé is the go-to classic dessert for chocolate lovers everywhere.

By

Lauren Weisenthal

Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (1)

Lauren Weisenthal

Lauren Weisenthal was the author of the Pie of the Week and Sweet Technique columns for Serious Eats. From 2017–2021, she ran a restaurant called The Nightingale in Vinalhaven, Maine.

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Updated January 12, 2024

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Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (2)

Why It Works

  • A dark chocolate ganache, deepened with the addition of unsweetened chocolate, makes a simple base that bakes up into a moist, not dry, soufflé.
  • The significant quantity of cocoa powder produces a soufflé base that’s stable enough to last overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

Chocolate soufflé has stood the test of time as a go-to for chocolate lovers everywhere. Light, airy, and served à la minute, this dramatic dessert, gluten-free and delightfully rich, rises up out of its ramekin in the oven and must be delivered promptly to the diner before it begins to shrink back into itself. While many soufflés are served with a sauce poured inside, this one stays moist enough on the inside that it's not entirely necessary. Crème anglaise, though, would make a great optional garnish for pouring into a small hole made in the center.

Unlike some sweet soufflés, this version doesn’t use pastry cream as its base. Instead, a deep chocolate ganache—made with three types of chocolate—produces a stable base with a pronounced and well-rounded chocolate flavor.

Making a successful soufflé is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, but it does require doing a few things properly. They include:

  • Liberally buttering and sugaring your ramekins. This includes the inner base and walls, all the way up to the top rim. First, slather the butter all over the inner surfaces, up to and including the top edge of each ramekin, then thoroughly coat the insides with sugar. This will ensure the soufflés rise up without any snags or cracks.
  • Making sure the bowl holding the ganache does not touch the simmering water below; success with the ganache hinges on it not getting too hot.
  • Not being shy about fully incorporating the egg whites. Thoroughly stirring in a quarter of the beaten egg whites first lightens the soufflé mixture and prepares it for the rest, which must be gently folded in until there are no visible whites left. Note that any pockets of unincorporated egg whites will rise more rapidly than the surrounding batter and cause cracking. So take your time and make sure all of the egg whites are completely incorporated.

This recipe was adapted from one of many featured in the curriculum of the French Culinary Institute.

January 2012

Recipe Details

Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

Prep15 mins

Cook25 mins

Active45 mins

Total40 mins

Serves8 soufflés

Ingredients

For the Ramekins:

  • Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the ramekins (approximately 3 tablespoons)

  • Granulated sugar, for coating ramekins (approximately 3 tablespoons)

For the Soufflés:

  • 2 1/2 ounces (about 1/4 cup; 70g) heavy cream and/or whole milk

  • 1 3/4 ounces 68-71%dark chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup; 50g)

  • 1 3/4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup; 50g)

  • 1 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup; 50g)Dutch process cocoa powder

  • 3 1/2 ounces (scant 1/2 cup; 100g) water

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Whites from 8 large eggs, straight from the fridge (8 3/4 ounces; 250g)

  • 3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup; 100g) granulated sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) with the convection fan turned off and oven rack in center position. Liberally butter the interiors of eight 4-ounce ramekins, making sure to butter right up to the upper edge of the rim of each ramekin. Sugar the buttered insides evenly, tapping out excess, and set ramekins aside.

  2. Place 2 1/2 cups water in a 3-quart sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. In a large, heat-proof bowl that will sit comfortably on the pot without toppling over or touching the water below, combine cream and/or milk, dark chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate. Whisk gently until chocolate is melted, cream and/or milk are fully incorporated, and a smooth ganache has formed.

    Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (3)

  3. Turn off heat, then carefully whisk in cocoa powder, water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Leave bowl atop pot of hot water, off the heat, to keep the ganache warm.

    Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (4)

  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until they become foamy, about 20 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to medium and gradually add sugar and salt, then return to high speed and whisk the egg white mixture until firm, glossy, smooth peaks form, about 2 minutes.

    Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (5)

  5. Using a silicone spatula, stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate ganache until thoroughly incorporated, to lighten it. Then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture, until no visible whites remain. As soon as there are no more unincorporated whites, spoon soufflé mixture into prepared ramekins just to the top, then even the tops with an offset spatula. (You may prepare soufflés up to this point, and bake later; see note.)

    Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (6)

  6. Evenly space ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 12 minutes for soufflés that are wet on the inside, or 13 to 14 minutes for ones that are drier. The soufflés will have risen tall above the rims of the ramekins and look dry on top. Serve immediately.

    Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (7)

Special Equipment

Eight 4-ounce ramekins, 3-quart stainless steel sauce pan, whisk, stand mixer, silicone spatula, offset spatula, rimmed baking sheet

Notes

To achieve the ideal level of richness, we prefer an equal mix of heavy cream and whole milk, but the recipe will work with one or the other (the richness will vary accordingly).

Make-Ahead and Storage

If you choose to prepare the soufflés in advance: After filling each prepared ramekin with the soufflé mixture, wrap each ramekin with plastic and refrigerate for up to one day. When ready, preheat the oven and bake the soufflés, straight from the fridge, for 15 minutes, then serve immediately.

Read More

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
255Calories
14g Fat
26g Carbs
6g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories255
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g18%
Saturated Fat 8g41%
Cholesterol 22mg7%
Sodium 176mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 26g10%
Dietary Fiber 3g11%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 21mg2%
Iron 4mg23%
Potassium 158mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good soufflé? ›

8 Tips for Cooking the Perfect Soufflé
  • Get some air. ...
  • Metal bowls are best. ...
  • Use the right soufflé dish. ...
  • Room temperature eggs will get the best results. ...
  • Use cream of tartar. ...
  • Use parmesan and breadcrumbs. ...
  • Cook the soufflé on a baking sheet at the bottom of the oven. ...
  • As tempting as it might be, avoid opening the oven door.
Aug 13, 2021

What is the difference between chocolate mousse and chocolate souffle? ›

What is the difference between chocolate mousse and soufflé? 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.

What is a chocolate souffle made of? ›

What is Chocolate Soufflé? A soufflé is made up of stiffly beaten egg whites and a thick chocolaty base. The air trapped inside the beaten egg whites is what makes the soufflé rise so beating the egg white properly is critical for success.

Are soufflés hard to make? ›

Making a successful soufflé is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, but it does require doing a few things properly. They include: Liberally buttering and sugaring your ramekins. This includes the inner base and walls, all the way up to the top rim.

Should eggs be cold for soufflé? ›

The eggs should be room temperature, which will help them separate more easily and will help the whites easily beat up into peaks. Make very sure the yolk stays intact. Cracking them over a cup one at a time is a good idea: If one yolk breaks, you don't ruin the whole bowl of whites.

Why did my chocolate souffle fall? ›

Why Did my Chocolate Soufflé Fall? Over-mixed + deflated batter: Slowly and gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions, always being careful to avoid over-mixing and excessive deflating.

What is soufflé vs quiche? ›

What is the main difference between a souffle vs quiche? The main difference lies in the base and the texture of these two dishes. While quiche has a savory pastry crust filled with a custard base made from whole eggs and cream, a soufflé relies heavily on whipped egg whites to give it a light and airy texture.

Why is my chocolate mousse not fluffy? ›

Not fluffy enough, not chocolatey enough, too sweet, grainy, etc etc. Many “easy” chocolate mousse recipes tend to use too much cream so the end result is more like custard, rather than aerated like real chocolate mousse should be.

What is Panera soufflé made of? ›

Deliciously crafted souffle made with our savory egg mixture, Neufchâtel, cheddar, Parmesan and romano cheeses.

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.

What temperature to bake soufflé at? ›

Bake in preheated 375° F (190° C) oven until puffed and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes or until done. Serve immediately.

What is the secret to soufflés? ›

A pinch of salt added to the half-whisked whites for savory soufflés or a little sugar to the half-whisked whites for sweet soufflés will help to maintain volume. Pay attention to whether your recipe calls for soft peaks, whites that lean to one side stiff peaks, or whites that stand straight.

What can go wrong when making a soufflé? ›

13 Mistakes Everyone Makes When Cooking A Soufflé
  1. Not practicing first. Bignai/Shutterstock. ...
  2. Not preparing the bakeware. ...
  3. Making the batter too far in advance. ...
  4. Using the wrong equipment. ...
  5. Using cold eggs. ...
  6. Underwhipping the egg whites. ...
  7. Not being gentle with the batter. ...
  8. Adding more ingredients than necessary.
Feb 11, 2024

How long can a soufflé sit before baking? ›

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.

What is the secret of the soufflé? ›

There's only one serious secret to the perfect soufflé and that is careful whisking of the egg whites so they keep their volume and puff to a maximum in the oven. The whites should be at room temperature and you can reckon at least one and a half per person.

What are the characteristics of a good soufflé? ›

To our taste, it has a crusty exterior packed with flavor, a dramatic rise above the rim, an airy but substantial outer layer, and a rich, loose center that is not completely set. A great souffle must also convey a true mouth feel of flavor, bursting with the bright, clear taste of the main ingredient.

What are the key factors in soufflé? ›

Tips for a successful soufflé
  1. Keep it clean. Make sure all the equipment you are using is clean and grease free. ...
  2. Cool it down. Soufflés generally consist of two parts: the beaten egg whites and rest of the 'sauce'. ...
  3. A light touch. ...
  4. Preheat the oven. ...
  5. Know how to grease it. ...
  6. Give it grip. ...
  7. Add a hat. ...
  8. No peeking.

What ingredient makes a soufflé rise? ›

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.

References

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